The Bodyguard and the Client
by Dessert Maniac
Summary: Instead of becoming a goddess, Madoka died. Desperate, Homura turned back and set a new timeline in motion. Twelve years later, Kaname Madoka is stalked by an albino called Kyubey. Anxious, she hires a bodyguard, who turns out to be Akemi Homura. Slowly, the past resurfaces as Homura finds herself falling in love and falling apart - again. AU. M/H. Disclaimer: I don't own PMMM.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N****: Well, I know, I probably shouldn't have posted this until I at least finished writing two more chapters, to make sure that I don't lose interest in this story, but I couldn't help myself. Anyway, this is just the intro chapter. Homura doesn't come in until next chapter, xP. Sorry peeps. Also, I'm not sure how much fluff/yuri this story'll have … that stuff probably won't come in 'til chapter four of seven [that's how long I predict this story to be], sadly. Then again, I might make it work. Dunno. Enough of my ramblings, on with the show! [story, whatever lol] ~**_**Teddy**_** [D-M]. Edit: Kyo-san is an OC, I just couldn't keep calling him "Madoka's chauffer," lol.**

The Bodyguard and the Client

It was raining the first time she encountered him.

Muddy puddles covered the sidewalk and road. Dark grey clouds rumbled and lightning flashed, illuminating the sky in brief bursts of light. The streets were largely empty, save for the occasional harried passing of a person caught without an umbrella. Everywhere, doors were closed and windows shut against the cold and rainy wind. Only an hour ago it had been bright and sunny.

_Just goes to show what awful luck I have sometimes_, Madoka sighed. The one day she decided to take the initiative and walk home by herself, the weather conspired against her. The day had started normally enough: she went to work, had lunch with her friends, and ran a few errands after work, driven by her chauffer as usual. On her way home from said errands, she had spotted a small bookstore and decided to browse around. Despite her chauffer's protests (_"Kaname-san, you mustn't! Think of what Miki-san will do to me if she finds out that I left you by yourself!"_), Madoka decided to send him home. She spent a merry hour at the bookstore before realizing that she had to hurry home to dinner before anyone got worried and came looking for her. The moment she stepped out of the bookstore, however, the dismal sight of a rain-drenched street met her pink eyes.

Biting her lip nervously, Madoka glanced around and wondered if she should call her chauffer to pick her up before deciding that it would be too much of a bother to make Kyo-san drive in this wretched weather; she didn't want to be a burden. _Does the bookstore sell umbrellas_,she wondered. Nodding determinedly, she reentered the little store, only to sigh dejectedly when it became apparent that only books and stationary items were sold here. "Do you need help, miss?" Madoka looked up, startled. A young man stood next to her; she hadn't heard him approach. He smiled at her, though somehow Madoka thought there was something vaguely wrong in his too-cheerful smile. Then, with a thrill of uneasy surprise, she realized that the fellow was albino: he had very pale skin and hair, and his eyes were red. Unfazed, he let her openly stare at him. "I'm sorry if I scared you. I am Kyubey; I work nearby."

His smile never wavered as she flushed and replied, "O-Oh, no. It's ok. I should have been paying attention anyway, haha..." Nor did he blink, his bright red eyes staring back at her intently. They stayed like that for what seemed an eternity, staring at each other, one bewildered and the other self-satisfied. "It's raining and you seem rather upset. Here, take my umbrella," Kyubey offered her a simple black umbrella. Madoka took a step back. "N-no, that's alright. I-I don't need it," she stammered. Now she was starting to wish that she hadn't told Kyo-san to go home without her. "Umm, I-I'll be going now, thank you." With that, Madoka practically fled the bookstore.

It was still raining lightly when she rushed out, but that mattered not to Madoka. She walked quickly, not caring that the splashes she made splattered mud on her pink sundress. Then again, it really did not matter because the rain soaked her clothes anyway. She hastily made her way to the nearest bus stop, almost falling into puddles multiple times. Gradually, she calmed down and felt silly for overreacting to the young man in the bookstore. Unfortunately, as she calmed she also began to notice how cold and uncomfortable she felt, drenched in rain. _Sayaka-chan's going to be mad when she finds out_, she thought miserably. She started to shiver, though out of cold, not out of fear.

Slowing down to catch her breath, Madoka became aware of sloshing footsteps behind her. She stopped, and the footsteps stopped. Unease gripped her again, and she started once again for the bus stop. This time, however, she paid attention to the noise her feet were making and realized that there was someone else walking behind her. _Oh, what do I do? What if it's some creepy stalker? Or maybe it's just someone else hurrying home … _

At the bus stop, Madoka turned back and froze in surprise. Standing several yards behind her was the same albino man she had encountered in the bookstore: _Kyubey …? What is he doing …? _

Kyubey stood in the rain, his smile – no, his _smirk_ – never wavering, his red eyes never leaving her. The rain had soaked his clothes too, but he didn't seem to mind. His pale hair was plastered to his forehead and the rain on his face made it look almost shiny. Kyubey appeared to be perfectly at ease, as if standing in the middle of the rain and staring at a frightened girl intently was perfectly normal to do. Then, he spoke. "You know, you would be the perfect addition to my company." He did not raise his voice, but she heard him clearly over the soft pattering of rain. She was even more disconcerted now.

For another eternity, Madoka and Kyubey stared at each other.

Suddenly, a car honked. Madoka jumped, and the spell was broken. Kyo got out of the car and exclaimed, "Kaname-san! You're all soaked through! Oh, Tomoe-san and Miki-san were worried when you weren't home in time for dinner, and they'll have a fit when they see the state you're in!" Madoka, in a daze, let Kyo lead her to the car and buckle her in. "Oh dear, you must've caught a cold by now," Kyo fretted as he drove away. She glanced out the window and was somehow not surprised to notice that Kyubey had disappeared.

"Don't worry, Kyo-san. I'm fine, really," she found herself saying. Had it all been her imagination?

* * *

It was sunny the second time she encountered him.

The parking lot was relatively busy as people came and went with their friends and family, and some came and went by themselves. Cars of every color reflected the bright sunlight and blinded pedestrians and drivers alike. Noises of all kinds permeated the air, from kids' laughter and yells to couples arguing over him spending too much on clothes: there was rarely a moment of silence at this busy mall.

"Oh, Hitomi-chan, how is Kyosuke-san doing?" Madoka was out shopping with Hitomi one Sunday afternoon, having decided to spend time with her, since Sayaka and Mami were both on an assignment and she felt a bit lonely. Grading papers was rather boring, after all. The two were currently eating at a Panda Express just outside the mall and a passing person carrying a bag with a treble clef on it had reminded Madoka of Hitomi's boyfriend.

The hot sun was, thankfully, blocked by large umbrellas over them. Hitomi adjusted her sunglasses daintily as she replied. "His arm has been hurting a bit lately. I recommended that he go see his doctor, and he agreed to let me take him tomorrow morning. He's much happier lately though, and that makes me happy," Hitomi smiled sweetly, thinking of her sweetheart. Madoka could only nod, remembering how many painful months Sayaka had spent trying to make Kyosuke happy before letting Hitomi take over. That incident had left Sayaka depressed for a while before resigning herself to the fact that Kyosuke would never love her.

They chatted amiably for a few more minutes before Hitomi excused herself to the restroom. Madoka kept eating, glancing around the enclosed restaurant area and observing the people around her. _So many happy people …_, she thought, smiling to herself. Then, she spotted someone sitting alone at a nearby table. He had pale skin, pale hair, red eyes, and pale lips that never ceased to smirk. Though she had last seen him on a dark and rainy day, the broad daylight only served to accentuate his … strangeness.

Madoka froze.

Once again, Kyubey's eyes looked deep into her, and Madoka began to tremble. She noticed his expression never changed: it was always that same self-satisfied smirk that she had mistaken for a smile the first time she had seen him. _That too-cheerful smile in the bookstore wasn't a smile …_, Madoka considered fleeing. _But Hitomi-chan will wonder where I went_.

When Hitomi returned, Madoka hastily managed to convince her friend that it was time to return to their respective homes ("_Certainly, Madoka-san. Are you feeling unwell?_ " "_N-no, not at all!_"). To her growing horror, every time she glanced back Kyubey was there, following them at a distance. He left, however, once Hitomi's chauffer got out of the car and helped Hitomi and Madoka in.

* * *

Madoka caught Kyubey following her four more times after that.

"What! If some creepy dude is following _my_ future bride around, then I'll punch his lights out!" Sayaka glowered, already strangling Kyubey in her mind. Madoka laughed nervously and shook her head, nibbling on a biscuit. "I was thinking of going to the police, but he never does anything except stare at me, and he disappears quickly," Madoka explained. Mami-san smiled at Sayaka's grumpy expression and offered her another slice of cake to occupy her. They were at Mami's apartment, having tea and cake after a day's worth of work. Mami sat with her legs folded back, calmly sipping her tea as Sayaka flailed her arms around. _Just as when we were in middle school_, she reflected. _Those were good times_.

"Perhaps what Madoka-san should do is hire a personal bodyguard," Mami suggested, avoiding a blow from Sayaka. Immediately, Sayaka beamed and, cake forgotten, exclaimed, "Yes! Madoka, I will be your bodyguard from now on and make sure that weirdo doesn't bother you again!" Madoka hesitated, beginning to seriously consider the idea.

Before she could answer, Mami spoke once more. "Well, that is thoughtful of you, Sayaka-san, but you must remember that our particular firm does not allow us to act as bodyguards for our own friends: it is considered unprofessional. Neither of us can be Madoka-san's personal security agent. Still, I think you should come by our headquarters and file a request for a bodyguard," she said, addressing Madoka at the end. Sayaka visibly deflated at her words and Madoka felt disappointed, but she knew she couldn't possibly impose herself on her friends like that. If there was one thing that Madoka hated, it was being a useless burden to her friends. _They're both so strong, Mami-san and Sayaka-chan, while I just kind of stumble through life, depending on people to help me_.

"You know, Mami-san, I think I will go to Security Firm and hire a personal bodyguard. I-I hate to admit it, but that man is seriously starting to scare me," Madoka sighed. Sayaka and Mami both nodded and urged Madoka to go early the next morning.

Ruffling Madoka's hair, Sayaka reassured her, "Don't worry Madoka. Security Firm has the best bodyguards you can get! And with your money, you won't have to worry about paying, hahaha." Madoka could only smile hopefully.

_Hopefully this nightmare will be over soon_.

**A/N****: I took a lot of liberties in writing this, lol. First and foremost: I made Kyubey a weirdo albino stalker. Now, before any of you start yelling at me, please keep in mind that I /am not/ insulting albinos, nor am I making fun of them. I just couldn't keep Kyubey as an alien-white-cat-thing for the purposes of this story. As for the bodyguard stuff … it's all from my head. I have no idea how one would go about hiring a body guard, but this is my story so deal with it, xD. ~**_**Teddy**_**. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Edit****: In light of how chapter four took an unexpected turn, I have changed two details for the sake of consistency. Otherwise, chapter two remains untouched. **

The Bodyguard and the Client

"Akemi-san," the Division A manager announced.

His stern voice echoed in the spacious room full of top-tier bodyguards awaiting their next assignments. The place was an ocean of black: regardless of gender, everyone wore the same impeccable black suit and tie. Indeed, it was almost as if they were at a funeral; the only color came from the bodyguards' ties, though many wore black ties to complete the look.

From the back of the room, a tall woman stood up immediately and confidently. "Sir," she replied. The manager gestured her forward and handed her a manila folder: her new task. Opening the folder, Homura read the short description of her charge. _Kaname Madoka. Aged twenty-five. Assistant archery coach and art teacher at Mitakihara Middle School. Lives alone in a two-story house with four servants [chauffer, two maids, and a cook]. Personal details on following page. Needs protection from a stalker called Kyubey: albino, medium height. Further information to be obtained. Duration of mission: indefinite. Appointment time: 3PM. _

The photo in the folder was of a smiling young woman with pink hair and eyes, but there was no photo of Kyubey: they had yet to gather more information on the elusive albino. Homura nodded curtly and promptly left to prepare. Already, her mind was thinking of ways to capture this Kyubey in the most efficient manner. _Since evidently this client is wealthy enough to hire me_, Homura mused, _perhaps Kyubey is after her money. That is the logical conclusion. Or perhaps the fellow is a sexual predator. She is rather pretty_. Surprised by the thought, Homura paused just outside her personal office. _Pretty? What an odd thought_. Homura shook her head and entered her office. Because of her status as one of the best in Division A, which was the highest of the three divisions, she had her own office, though it was relatively small.

A mess of Pocky wrappers littering the floor met her eyes. The culprit sat in Homura's expensive swivel chair, feet propped up on her equally expensive desk and munching on yet another pack of Pocky and intently playing on an old Nintendo. Scowling, Homura waited for her red-headed companion to realize she was there. _Honestly, it is a wonder Kyoko has retained her position for so long despite her … unconventional behavior. _Kyoko was in the lowest of the three divisions, Division C, even though she had been working for Security Firm for about twelve years. Well, both Homura and Kyoko had been working with Security Firm since they were thirteen as part of the company's mission to keep young boys and girls out of gangs and other sorts of trouble.

"Are you gonna just stand there and look creepy or are you gonna bother saying hi to me?" Kyoko's voice was muffled by the Pocky in her mouth and she did not look up from her game. Restraining the urge to roll her eyes, Homura strode forward and plucked the Nintendo from the red-head's protesting hands. "Oi! I was just about to beat my own high score!" Kyoko made no move to get her game back, but instead immediately began picking up the mess she had made on Homura's desk and floor, knowing that only once the area was mess-free would the silent woman return her Nintendo. "Geez, give a gal a break. You took so long I thought I'd run out of snacks," Kyoko grumbled.

"That is no excuse for littering, Sakura-san. In any case, I truly doubt you of all people would run out of sustenance." Despite the inherent teasing in her statement, Homura's voice was as monotonous as always. Even her expression held no humor, only stern blankness. _I wonder if she'll ever lose that cold mask_, Kyoko suddenly wondered as Homura returned the game to her. She cleared her throat uncomfortably, "Well, uh, I just dropped in to let you know that I'll be on vacation for the next month – my manager said something about getting a break from stress and stuff."

Homura noted the way Kyoko's hands suddenly started trembling. Sympathy for the girl suddenly filled her normally closed-off heart. "Yes. A vacation will benefit your health; however, do not think of this as an excuse to raid my home for food, Kyoko-san," she said, attempting, in her own way, to cheer up the normally energetic red-head. Her last mission had ended well, but the situation between the priest and his family had brought up painful reminders of Kyoko's childhood. Since then, the young woman remained agitated and tense, leaving Homura lost as to how to comfort her only companion. _A vacation is just what Kyoko needs_.

Kyoko chuckled at Homura's pitiful attempt for humor and gestured at the manila folder in the tall woman's hands. "A new assignment? You recently finished a mission though." _Let's not continue talking about my issues_, she thought to herself. Homura did not respond as she gathered various papers and packed them neatly in her briefcase. Shrugging, Kyoko settled down in Homura's swivel chair again, content with munching on her Pocky and salvaging her lost Pokémon game.

Several minutes passed thusly, each preoccupied with their thoughts. The only sound in the office was the munching of Pocky and quiet rustle of papers being organized.

"Kyoko-san," Homura murmured, breaking the silence.

"Humph, what? You have a bad habit of interrupting my games, woman!" Kyoko grumbled. _Good, she is not brooding_. Homura stood by the door, waiting for Kyoko to take a hint and let her lock up her office. "Oh, yeah. You've a mission; I forgot haha. Have fun, Homura~" With that, Kyoko grinned around a stick of Pocky and flounced out of the room before Homura could reprimand her.

_Now, I must meet with … Kaname Madoka_. Homura took a deep breath to collect herself and promptly headed to the Division A manager's office on the third level.

* * *

"What a beautiful day!" Madoka clapped her hands as she looked out from her bedroom window. The garden radiated cheer and happiness with bursts of color from various flowers and butterflies flitting about. She could see one of the maids watering a newly planted red rose. The bright early sun gave everything a nice yellow glow and a cool breeze came in through the window; Madoka felt that nothing could go wrong today.

Humming a nameless tune, Madoka went about her normal Saturday routine. After a few minutes she was ready to take the day head-on. A maid had left her a breakfast tray on her desk along with the day's mail. Madoka happily munched on her buttered toast as she read a letter from her mother, who was away on a business trip in Tokyo. _Hmm, Mother does love working a lot, but maybe she should take a break_, she thought to herself. _I'll write back to her later today. Oh, that reminds me, I forgot to send Tatsuya my letter_. A quick glance at the rest of her mail revealed nothing but bills and a few credit offers, nothing unusual. "Oh!" she suddenly exclaimed. "I completely forgot that I'm supposed to go to Security Firm today, oh dear me. Let's see, it's only 8:30, they open at nine, ok, good. I'll finish breakfast while I ask one of the maids to tell Kyo-san to get the car ready," Madoka thought out loud, her pink eyes earnest and faintly nervous as she rang for Mae (one of the maids).

"Kaname-sama?" the young maid asked, standing respectfully by the desk.

"Please ask Kyo-san to prepare the car: we will be going to Security Firm as soon as I am finished with my breakfast, and please make sure this letter to my brother gets sent," Madoka ordered. The maid took the letter and left quickly.

A few minutes later, Madoka's dark green car pulled out of the driveway and headed out to Security Firm. Although nervous, Madoka knew that if she did not hire a bodyguard, Sayaka would probably do it for her. _If the service is as fast as Mami-san and Sayaka-chan say, then I should meet my new bodyguard sometime this afternoon_. She slowly realized that her life would be very different with a bodyguard around her at all times. _How will it be at school? Will my bodyguard have to stand next to the door while I teach? That might scare the students …. _The more she thought about it, the less certain she was about hiring a bodyguard. However, an image of Kyubey's frozen smirk came to mind, and all qualms that Madoka had were immediately pushed aside. _That settles it, I guess. I really wish I hadn't met Kyubey that day_.

However, throughout the trip to Security Firm, all Madoka could think about was Kyubey: his red eyes, his beguiling smirk/smile, and those words he said to her that rainy day. "_You know, you would be the perfect addition to my company_." Despite the unease the creepy albino inspired in her, Madoka could not help but wonder what Kyubey's company might be. _How could I possibly be useful to him? All I do is teach … I can barely manage to hold myself together around him! Mami-san and Sayaka-chan would be much more useful to him, wouldn't they? _ Madoka found herself wanting to meet Kyubey again, just to ask him how she – a plain woman of twenty-five with no talent to her name – could make herself strong and useful like her dear friends. After all, he had clearly shown interest in her, something that she was not used to outside of her small circle of friends.

Her contemplations absorbed her attention, and it was with some surprise that she heard Kyo notifying her of their arrival. Before her doubts consumed her, Madoka hastily got out of the car and asked the brown-haired chauffer to wait.

"Good afternoon, Madame. How may we be of service?" A smiling secretary greeted a slightly intimidated Madoka at the front desk. Security Firm was a five-story tall building of dark grey steel, both its exterior and its interior an imposing sight. The inner walls and chairs were the same dark metallic grey color as the outside; adorned with a few abstract paintings around the lobby, the building had a rather conservative yet modernist look. _I never did understand the point of abstract art_, Madoka thought absently. A single hallway led to the rest of the building.

"Ah, I would like to file a request for a personal bodyguard …" Unsure how to continue, Madoka wrung her hands and let her voice trail off into silence. The secretary, a young man who reminded her of one of Tatsuya's friends, smiled sympathetically and pulled out a simple white form from one of the many cubby holes surrounding him. Handing it to her along with a pen, the young man reassured her, "Don't worry, Madame. Just take a seat and fill out this form; Security Firm will take care of the rest, guaranteed!" Madoka nodded and sat in the nearest chair. She took a deep breath and quickly began filling in the required information. _Name: Kaname Madoka. Age: 25. Occupation: Assistant archery coach and art teacher at Mitakihara Middle School. _She diligently worked through the form and occasionally paused to wonder at some of the questions: _Favorite color, favorite song_, etc. There were also the expected security-related questions like_ "do you lock your windows at night," "notable idiosyncrasies," "Select the level of security that matches your income and needs," "Current and past restraining orders," _and so on.

Roughly an hour later, Madoka finished the form, signed it, and resolutely returned it to the secretary. He accepted it and told her to return at precisely 3PM later that day to meet her potential bodyguard. "Thank you," she smiled brightly at him and practically skipped out the door, though she made sure to suppress her relief a little. Once outside, her chauffer helped her into the car and drove off to visit Hitomi, who had called her late the previous night and all but demanded that Madoka come over to her place for lunch.

_I'm looking forward to this afternoon_, the pinkette grinned at her reflection in the window, her earlier deliberations completely forgotten … for a while.

* * *

Homura took yet another deep breath and hesitated at the manager's door. Her eyes narrowed slightly when she realized that her hand, lightly grasping the metal handle, was trembling slightly. _Since when am I anxious when meeting a new client? I am not the same shy girl that I was when I first joined eight years ago_. Clenching her fists in a rare burst of passion, Homura struggled to lock her emotions away once again. The smiling image of Kaname Madoka came to mind. _I refuse to turn to mush over a mere client_, Homura scolded herself sternly.

She knocked twice and opened the door.

Assessing the situation, Homura's purple eyes took in the friendly atmosphere of the room. Her manager and the pink-haired client both got up, smiling, though nervousness began to leak into the client's open face. Homura nodded her head in acknowledgement, refraining from openly staring at her potential charge and positioned herself to the right of the manager. _Everything is in order, no threats present, good_.

"Kaname-san, I present to you Akemi Homura, the person we have selected as your personal bodyguard for as long as you wish. Akemi-san, this is Kaname Madoka, the daughter of an old family friend," the manager introduced the two women to each other. This time, Homura bowed to Madoka and murmured, "A pleasure to meet you, Kaname-san."

To her embarrassment, Madoka realized that her cheeks were warming up. _I'm blushing! _"L-likewise, Akemi-san," she stammered, her lips twitching in a nervous smile.

"Please, Kaname-san, rest assured that your safety is in the most capable of hands. Akemi-san is one our elite security agents and I hope you will find nothing but quality and professionalism from her. Now, I will leave you two to get acquainted; I shall return in ten minutes." With that, the Division A manager shook Madoka's hand, nodded to Homura, and left his office. The two women remained motionless as the door closed on the manager.

Madoka sat down again, tucking her shaking hands under her legs and feeling shy around her new bodyguard. _Oh dear …_, she thought, dismayed at her own anxiety. Her bodyguard stood motionlessly next to the now-empty chair and apparently stared straight ahead. _Well, talk about awkward silence_. Nonetheless, Madoka took the opportunity to examine her bodyguard. _She's rather tall, with such pretty black hair – I wonder how she keeps it so smooth and straight? – black, too much black. Her purple tie is nice. It matches her eyes, I think. Oh, but her expression … it's so cold and empty … I should be her friend! _

With a newfound determination to befriend her aloof bodyguard, Madoka gathered up her courage and beamed at Homura. "Hello, I'm Madoka! I know you probably have better things to do than take care of a ditz like me, but I promise it won't really be for long." By the end of her sentence, Madoka found herself floundering in search for words to fill in the silence. Nervousness began to ensnare her again.

Homura, frustrated with the odd situation, turned to face her charge. _Get it together, Akemi. What have you to fear? The girl looks like she will bury herself if you do not respond_. When she spoke, Homura kept her focus on a vague spot just above Madoka's pink head. "Yes, Kaname-san, I am aware that is your name. I am at your service for as long as is necessary; do not fret over such trivial matters." _Do not be afraid of me, Kaname-san_. Homura stiffened at the random thought and wondered where on earth it came from. She let her eyes rove around the room, unconsciously assessing the room for dangers. For her, it was a way of calming herself and reestablishing her sense of control. When she glanced back at Madoka, the pinkette was wringing her hands nervously in her lap, obviously upset. At that moment, Homura knew that this assignment would be unlike any other she had previously completed. _I need to reassure her, or else my task of protecting her will be very difficult later on. I do not need to be her friend, merely her protector, but her trust is imperative_. Before she could speak, however, the tense pinkette blurted, "T-that's a very nice tie you're wearing!" Utterly surprised by the too-forceful outburst, but not showing it, Homura nodded.

"Thank you … Kaname-san," she replied. Immediately, Madoka perked up and a joyous smile graced her open face. _You have a nice smile, Kaname-san_. Homura decided to freak out about her sudden inability to control her emotions later, when the safety of another human being was not in her hands. "If I may, Kaname-san, may you describe in detail your encounters with this … Kyubey?" _Straight to business; there is no point in wasting time_. Madoka nodded, her edginess returning, but for an entirely different reason. Homura pulled out a small notepad and pen from a pocket on the inside of her coat. When the manager returned a few minutes later, he found Madoka recounting her latest happenstance with the albino.

Startled, Madoka glanced at him as he entered. "We will be finished shortly, sir," Homura informed him calmly. The manager waved his hand, brushing away Homura's concern. "Please, continue." Madoka nodded tersely, lost in her memories.

"Um, yes, I don't think anyone else noticed him. The library was mostly empty anyway, and I was at the very back, behind several bookshelves. I hadn't noticed him when I entered, but when I turned a corner, he was sitting on the floor, a book in his hands. I-I think it was open, but I don't know what it was about … I was too surprised to look at what he was reading, and he was staring at me …. Then again, I g-guess I should be used to seeing him around whenever I'm a-alone," Madoka laughed uncertainly, wringing her hands once more. Homura meticulously recorded every detail in her notepad. "Thank you, Kaname-san."

The manager clapped his hands once, pleased that Homura was already familiarizing herself with the situation and establishing a professional relationship with her charge. "Well, Kaname-san? Are you pleased with the arrangement?"

This time, Madoka did not hesitate. "I am very pleased, Taisho-san. I thank you for your help," she replied. Her bright eyes shone with a new – if temporary – confidence.

"Excellent, then. Akemi-san, sign here, and Kaname-san will sign right underneath. It is merely the formal agreement we discussed earlier, Kaname-san." Both Homura and Madoka quickly signed the agreement. "Now that that is taken care of, you are officially under the protection of Akemi-san." The manager bowed to them one last time when they left, and the two women returned the gesture.

Madoka led the way out of Security Firm and to her car, Homura a few steps behind her. When Kyo opened the door for Madoka, Homura conducted a quick inspection before approving and climbed in after her charge.

_Right … this is going to take a little getting used to_, Madoka thought to herself.

_I wonder what her favorite color is_, Homura wondered before remembering that the answer to that was in the manila folder. _Ah, yes. One of the many odd questions that were answered. _Then, _I wonder if she ever gets lonely, living in a two-story house with only a few servants for company. Well, I hope she does not have the habit of getting up at early hours to snack, unlike someone else I know_.

They were going to get along fabulously.

**A/N****: Woo, chapter two is finished! A little longer than the first one, :D. To be clear: Mae and Kyo are both OCs; they don't really matter. Taisho is also unimportant, haha. Please review and tell me what you thought! ~_Teddy_. **


	3. Chapter 3

The Bodyguard and the Client

_This_, Homura decided, _is ridiculous_.

For the past week, Homura had been assimilating herself into Madoka's surprisingly busy schedule. Although there were definitely awkward moments, especially when Homura found herself staring at Madoka and the pinkette would notice, they gradually established a routine of sorts. Madoka's students still stared at Homura when they came to class and glanced at her whenever their attention drifted, but by Friday they were used to the bodyguard's stoic presence.

Today, however, was Saturday and Madoka had cheerfully decided to go grocery shopping after insisting that her cook take the day off to spend time with his family. That meant that Homura was stuck pushing the cart around the noisy marketplace while keeping a close eye on her client and the surroundings. Why Madoka had not sent one of the maids instead was beyond Homura's understanding. In all her years as a bodyguard, she had never found herself in a situation quite like this one: she felt silly, trailing behind Madoka and giving her opinion on whether or not Brie was better than Camembert. _Kyoko would be much better suited for this_, she grumbled to herself. Speaking of the Kyoko, Homura idly wondered what the red-head was up to.

"Homura-chan, what do you think? Should I get strawberry or orange marmalade?" Madoka asked her bodyguard, a smile gracing her expression and inevitably taking Homura's breath away. _This is __**all **__so ridiculous_. Impassive, she wordlessly grabbed a jar of strawberry jam and placed it in the cart. Madoka laughed. Oddly enough, Homura was sure that she caught a glimpse of a blush before the pinkette hastily turned away. Then again, perhaps it was her wistful imagination. _Since when am I wistful? While I'm at it: since when am I emotional at all?_

Even after a week, Homura could understand neither her client nor her own emotional state. For one, Madoka insisted that Homura address her in an informal manner, claiming that they were friends and completely ignoring the fact that Homura was **hired** to **protect** her. All thoughts of Kyubey had immediately disappeared the moment Madoka laid eyes on Homura, though the same could not be said for the bodyguard. In fact, the complete opposite was true. Homura had spent every moment of her free time investigating the mysterious albino and his company. She had sacrificed hours of sleep the past week in hunting for clues (and finding none) around the bookstore and surrounding area where Madoka had first encountered the albino. The fierce dedication did not surprise her, but what did surprise her was the reason behind it: Akemi Homura actually **cared** for Kaname Madoka. Somewhere along the past week, the initial attraction that the bodyguard felt for her client turned into genuine affection. _This is ridiculous: I am not here to become involved, I am here to protect my client and eradicate the source of danger_. These new (to her) emotions bothered Homura to no end.

Humming merrily, Madoka ticked off several items from her grocery list and made her way to the wine/liquor section of the supermarket.

This particular section was surprisingly void of people, but Madoka was glad to be away from the noisy crowd. She made her way down one of the aisles, avoiding the refrigerators with their selection of beers, towards a shelf lined with the finer wines that Mami so loved to have with her dinner. Madoka did not notice that Homura had not followed; she was busy wondering if Sayaka would like a bottle of Chardonnay upon the completion of her current mission, but wryly figured that the blue-haired woman would probably scoff at the "wimpy" wine. _Well, at least Mami will appreciate it_.

Madoka turned, having decided on a red wine instead, and froze. There, at the end of the aisle, was Kyubey. His ever-present smirk sent shivers of raw fear up Madoka's spine, but unlike her last encounter with the albino, he actually spoke this time.

"Kaname Madoka. At last, I find you alone. I hope you have not forgotten my offer – you would be a wonderful addition to my company." He paused, clearly expecting a response from the frozen woman. Madoka hesitated, putting aside her fear for a moment in favor of sating her curiosity. She forced herself to stare back into Kyubey's shiny red eyes.

"But … how? How am I useful to you?" All of Madoka's previous reflections suddenly came to the front, desperate to know just what potential Kyubey saw in her. She had always thought of herself as the weakest and dullest out of all her friends: she was not cool, refined, and elegant like Mami, nor boisterous and courageous like Sayaka, nor even madly in love like Hitomi. Nope, she was just plain Madoka, and sometimes she hated herself for being so … dull.

Kyubey continued smirking, knowing that Madoka would inevitably fall into his trap. "You have a vast potential … Madoka." Sensing the approach of an outsider, Kyubey blinked and disappeared around the corner.

Homura, having been detained by an elderly man asking for assistance, found her charge still standing frozen in the middle of an aisle, clutching a bottle of Sorella. _Oh no, I knew she should have sent a maid instead_, she thought to herself. Her purple eyes darted around, scanning the area for any threats. Finding none, she proceeded to carefully approach the frozen pinkette and look for any injuries. _Honestly, this girl is going to be the end of my career. _"Kaname-san?" she murmured, a hand on the bottle in case she dropped it. Incidentally, Madoka had enough self-control to maintain her grip on it even though Homura's voice startled her.

"O-oh, Homura-chan," she mumbled absently, still staring down the aisle where Kyubey had disappeared. She blinked and shook her head before turning to Homura. As a professional bodyguard, Homura was internally kicking herself for letting Madoka wander off on her own. "Kyubey was here," the pinkette suddenly said. She placed the bottle of wine in the cart and folded her hands together, shame coloring her cheeks pink for putting herself into a potentially dangerous situation. Well, in her defense, Kyubey had never really threatened her or anything of the sort, but that was a lame excuse and she knew it.

"Did he say anything? How was he dressed? Which way did he go?" Homura immediately pulled out her small memo book and pencil. She knew, however, that where the albino went did not matter because she could not leave her client alone, nor could she put Madoka in a precarious position. It was at times like this that Homura regretted her decision to work solo instead of with a partner, but she always managed to complete her mission anyway.

Madoka remained silent for a few seconds, shoulders slumped, collecting her thoughts. "I-I … I think he was wearing a white suit, yes. I had settled on w-which wine to buy, and when I turned around he was there," Madoka pointed to the end of the aisle, "I'm n-not sure how long he was there before I noticed him. When I turned around and saw him, he smirked at me and t-told me that I would make a … a wonderful addition to his c-company …" She hesitated then, unsure if she should admit to Homura that she had felted tempted for a moment.

Homura sensed Madoka's hesitation, glancing sharply at her. "Then?"

"Well, I … I asked him how I could b-be useful to him, b-but all he said was that I had a v-vast potential." Madoka's face was red, unable to look at Homura. _It's not my fault … I just want to be strong and amazing like my friends … like __**you**__. _

Nodding, unsurprised at the confession, Homura put away her notebook and stood directly in front of Madoka. The pinkette squeaked, confused at her bodyguard's sudden proximity. "Kaname-san, are you alright?" Homura asked, her usually monotonic murmur replaced with concern.

Madoka laughed nervously. "I-I think so. He surprised me; that's all."

"Well then, I insist that we depart for your home immediately, Kaname-san," Homura replied. She walked back to the cart and looked at Madoka. The pinkette nodded and headed to the check-outs. Then, in an attempt to lighten the mood – _A smile suits her much more than a frown _– Homura murmured, "I did not know you were a drinker, Kaname-san."

Confused, Madoka stopped and glanced quizzically at Homura, who gestured to the bottle of wine in the cart. "Oh! No, I don't really drink: that's for when Mami-san and Hitomi-chan visit. Sayaka-chan is always trying to get me drunk and 'have fun' but I only drink alcohol with my mother. It's sort of … a tradition I have with her," Madoka laughed. Homura was pleased to note that Madoka's countenance had brightened up considerably.

* * *

A half hour later, Madoka and Homura were in the kitchen putting away the groceries. Madoka had largely forgotten her encounter with Kyubey, preferring to occupy her mind with the way her heart had sped up when Homura had stood so close to her. A blush graced her cheeks as she put away the strawberry jam.

Homura, for her part, stood by the doorway and kept a constant watch on her client. She was careful not to stare at the pinkette, however. "Homura-chan, would you like something for lunch?" Madoka suddenly asked her. An eyebrow cocked, Homura nodded.

"Um … will a ham sandwich be ok?" Madoka knew that Homura had a preference for sandwiches, since anything that required a bowl or a plate and utensils was simply too cumbersome to be eaten standing up. The first time Homura had refused to sit and eat with Madoka, she had been confused, but Homura had then explained that she simply found it more convenient.

"Certainly, Kaname-san. Thank you." Every word served a purpose: there was no such thing as a superfluous word when it came to Homura.

Once again humming merrily, Madoka set about preparing herself and Homura the sandwiches, though she idly wondered if her bodyguard ever got tired of sandwiches. _Huh … _

"Homura-chan?" she probed, interrupting Homura's thoughts again. Her question, however, was lost when she saw how **alluring** her bodyguard looked at that moment: reclining beside the door, hands in the pockets of her slacks, black jacket splayed behind her, violet dress shirt stretching slightly, a placid expression on her face. Madoka did not realize that she was staring at Homura open-mouthed until the latter cleared her throat. Blushing madly, Madoka snapped her mouth shut with a _click_. "Ah – um, oh! Yes, um, do you ever get tired of eating sandwiches?" she blurted, wanting to sink into the floor and never come up again. _This is so embarrassing! _

For her part, Homura did not understand why Madoka was suddenly so flustered. The question itself was innocuous and perfectly reasonable, so the blush that stained the pinkette's expression was confusing. _Oh, but how lovely you look when you blush, Kaname-san_. Homura blinked, surprised at the thought, though she really shouldn't have been. After all, she had noticed Madoka's attractiveness and thought about it before she had even met the woman!

"I do, but it does not matter," she carefully replied. Pleased that her voice did not waver, Homura continued, "I make sure to eat a variety of other foods when I am not on a mission."

All Madoka could do was nod vigorously and duck her head down again, but the shaking of her hands gave her away. Mercifully, Homura decided not to comment on it, since she was struggling to keep her own thoughts in check. Silence reigned in the kitchen until Madoka calmed down enough to hand Homura a ham sandwich wrapped in a paper towel.

"Thank you, Kaname-san," Homura graciously accepted it, beginning to feel the gnawing of hunger. Madoka smiled brightly at her. She wanted to insist that Homura sit down and eat with her, but she knew her bodyguard would refuse. Besides, Madoka didn't know if she could handle being in such close quarters with her attractive bodyguard._ Whoa, calm down, Madoka. She is your bodyguard, remember? Anyway, she wouldn't want to be with someone as pathetic as me. Huh, I wonder if she ever gets tired standing up so long? Ha, of course she does, Madoka. She may be a little odd, but she is only human … though Sayaka-chan insists that aliens exist. I really miss Sayaka-chan and Mami-san. Since they are away, I only have Hitomi-chan for company, and Homura-chan, but that's different. _

The rest of the evening was passed quietly – Madoka was perfectly content with grading papers at her desk in her study, with Homura keeping guard in the corridor outside.

_This is all so ridiculous_, Homura thought for the umpteenth time. _At any rate, I think I am going to have to create a trap for Kyubey. He always seems to be around whenever Madoka is conveniently alone and never leaves tracks behind. In that case, I might just have to call Kyoko out of her vacation for a couple of days or so. _And so, Homura plotted well into the night. She would not wait for Kyubey to make the first move.

**A/N****: I apologize for the long wait, especially since this is a rather short chapter. I had something of a confidence-crisis this past week, not to mention the fact that life tends to get in the way. I didn't edit this, so if you catch any mistakes, let me know. Anyway, please review and tell me what you think! ~ **_**Teddy**_**. **


	4. Chapter 4

**[PLEASE READ AUTHOR'S NOTE AT END]**

The Bodyguard and the Client

Madoka's safety was paramount.

That is why Homura found herself outside of Kyoko's apartment at one o' clock in the morning. _Of all the days Madoka decided to stay up late, it had to be today_, the bodyguard grumbled. Homura only deemed the hours that the pinkette was asleep safe enough to leave her alone, so her own sleep was limited to her nightly hunts for information and the eight hours Madoka usually slept. But, after the first week of working under such conditions, Homura realized that she could not protect her client alone, so she decided to ask Kyoko for some help. She had already talked to both the Division C manager and the Division A manager; now all she needed was the red-head's consent.

The doorbell rung once – twice – thrice before a sleepy-but-annoyed Kyoko answered. "What the hell, Homura? This better be good!" she growled, a hand carelessly gesturing to enter. Homura did not respond, her blank face taking in the unexpected orderly appearance of Kyoko's normally messy living room. Seeing the direction of her friend's gaze, Kyoko grunted. "Tomoe Mami came by t'day. Don't ask." Raising an eyebrow at the news and ignoring the calculating look the red-head sent her, Homura sat down on an armchair facing the hallway while Kyoko disappeared through another door to the kitchen. She could be heard rummaging around her cupboards for something to munch on. _Always with food_.

"Alright, so you gonna tell me why you're here?" Kyoko returned, her nimble hands opening a new packet of Pocky and glaring at her friend. She was in a particularly bad mood, the hour of the visit notwithstanding.

"I need you to partner with me." Short and to the point.

"Keh! You realize I'm on vacation? I kind of like not having to play follow-the-leader every day and put my life at risk for someone else, y'know?"

"I will let you full reign of my apartment once the assignment is over and I will talk Taisho into giving you a pay raise." Homura knew that food was an express ticket into Kyoko's good graces, and since a pay raise would enable the red-head to buy even more food, she doubted her grumpy friend would resist. Sure enough, Kyoko mulled things over, munched on half a packet of Pocky, and acquiesced.

"Fine, when d'ya want me to show up?"

"4PM, no earlier, no later. Here is the address; dress properly, and be respectful," Homura ordered, handing Kyoko a slip of paper with Madoka's address on it. She rose silently and made her way to the apartment entrance. "Good night. Thank you, Kyoko-san" she said, pausing briefly at the door before leaving. Inside, Kyoko sighed. _Then again, maybe this will be enough of a distraction to keep thoughts of Mami – and the girl herself – away. Whatever, I'm going to bed_.

Unfortunately for Sakura Kyoko, Kaname Madoka happened to be very good friends with Tomoe Mami … and she would not be returning to bed as she had thought.

The doorbell rang again. Snarling, now positively aggravated at being roused in the middle of the night, Kyoko wrenched the door open. "WHAT?"

"Sakura Kyoko, is that any way to greet an old friend?" Kyubey smirked at her, his head tilted back slightly to meet her eyes. Funny how short he was, but Kyoko was too upset to take pride in the fact that he had to look up whenever he talked to her.

"Oh, great. What d'ya want?" She definitely did not want to play any of Kyubey's mind games.

"Well~ can't a man check up on his ex- "employee" without being questioned so rudely?"

"Kyubey, you bastard, it's almost two o'clock, I have to show up to work tomorrow, and you never cared. Hurry up and tell me what you want," Kyoko snapped. As she spoke, Kyubey pulled out a comb and a pocket mirror, fixing up his wavy white hair. She groaned, hitting her head against the door. _Kami, why does it have to be me?! _

"Would you consider becoming a Puella Magi again? I have finished salvaging the remains after that nasty encounter with Security Firm thirteen years ago, and I have even begun getting new recruits," he said cheerfully, putting away the comb and mirror once he was satisfied with his hair.

"Are you daft or something? I **work** for Security Firm; and I sure as hell won't go back to that wretched life as if it's all a joke! That just pisses me off. Anyway, I have a steady job that provides me with an honest means of getting food, unlike your "miracles" that just take advantage of hopeless girls, keh!" Kyoko slammed the door on his face, but his foot kept it open. She glared at him.

Kyubey's self-satisfied smirk never left. "Ah well, that's too bad. The offer stands though, if you change your mind. Also, I don't think I need to remind you to keep this conversation away from Security Firm ears~" Kyoko wanted to wring the crazy albino's neck as memories of her Puella Magi days came back, unbidden.

"Look, Kyubey – I renounced magic years ago. Since I don't have a Soul Gem anymore, you can't force me into any of your crazy plans!"

"That is not a problem. You know as well as I that was once impossible is now possible: I have fashioned myself a human body and created Incubator Inc. to provide a cover for my recruiting of magical girls, and it is a simple process to recreate your Soul Gem. After all, Security Firm managed to find a way to return the souls of magical girls back to their bodies; it is their work that laid the basis for our own research. Beware, Sakura Kyoko." With that, Kyubey turned his back on her and calmly walked away.

Angry and in serious need of sleep, Kyoko slammed the door and stomped back into her bedroom, grumbling the entire way. Killing the alien cat-turned-human was pointless, so she didn't bother. _Damn – I had thought Mami was lying, but evidently not. Whatever, I'll talk to Homura later. I doubt she even remembers the Incubator, especially after she gave up on magic completely. Come to think of it, it's kinda … weird that Kyubey showed up just after Homura left_. Unwilling to continue thinking and reliving painful memories, Kyoko settled into her bed and promptly fell asleep. She would deal with this mess in the morning.

* * *

When she returned, Homura was surprised to see Madoka sitting in the dark and otherwise empty kitchen. The pinkette clutched a cup of tea in both her hands, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders; she did not notice Homura watching her from the doorway.

Madoka sighed and got up. A movement caught her eye, and she realized Homura was standing in the doorway. "Oh! Homura-chan, I thought you were sleeping in your quarters – for once," she added humorously, pulling out another glass from a cupboard. Homura shook her head, a hand absentmindedly flicking on the lights. Madoka noticed that her bodyguard looked haggard: there were dark bags under her eyes and a certain weariness in the air around her.

"Homura-chan? Are you not getting enough sleep?" she asked, concerned for her friend. She poured a cup of tea, offering it to Homura, who accepted it with a gracious nod.

"No, Kaname-san. However, I have made arrangements for a partner to join me, if it is acceptable to you." She waited patiently for Madoka's response, confident that she would not object. _Raspberry tea. Madoka drinks raspberry tea_, Homura filed the information away for future use.

"Oh, I don't mind. That reminds me – archery season will begin next week for spring sports, and since I am an assistant coach, I will be staying after school on Tuesday through Thursday for the rest of the school year," Madoka explained, her hands gesturing as she spoke. The natural bubbliness of her expression seemed to brighten even more at the thought of archery practice. Homura nodded.

"Kaname-san, my partner will be here tomorrow at 4PM. Sakura-san is … well, she is boisterous and has a penchant for food, but I assure you she is perfect for the task." Madoka nodded, becoming mesmerized in Homura's low voice. _Not quite a murmur, I suppose. Sakura-san sounds familiar to me … huh_, Madoka thought to herself. "Kaname-san, I believe you have school tomorrow," Homura reminded her gently. Blushing, the pinkette nodded and left her empty cup of tea in the sink. Homura did the same and followed behind her client as she went upstairs to her bedroom.

Pausing at the door, Madoka looked guiltily at her bodyguard. "Are you sure you want to sleep on the floor again, Homura-chan?"

"Do not worry, Kaname-san: my job is to protect you at all times. I have a pillow and a blanket – that is all I need," she replied, her purple eyes gazing at Madoka. _Why must you be so kind, Kaname-san_? It was something she wondered often; this time, however, that thought instigated a jumble of images of an earlier time, confusing Homura. Madoka nodded and mumbled a soft good night, leaving the door open a crack behind her. She hated the thought of Homura sleeping all alone in the hallway, so she always left her door open.

Sleep did not come easily to Homura.

Memories of her childhood – for she was certain that she was not dreaming – crept out of their cage, teasing her, mocking her efforts to forget the past. Vaguely, she recalled a strange alien cat with vivid red eyes and omnipresent smirk, a purple egg, strange apparitions (here, the words _familiar_ and _witch_ came to mind, but she wasn't sure), grey worlds, a girl sipping tea after a battle, and a squealing pink-haired girl oddly reminiscent of Kaname-san. Homura pressed her hands onto her eyes, willing the images to go away. She did not remember, she did not know who they were, and a part of her warned her to stay away, that these images would only bring suffering. _I locked these memories away for a reason_, Homura realized. This troubled her. A kind of masochistic curiosity wanted to delve deeper, to rediscover this part of her life that she had so earnestly suppressed. For Homura, her life began when she was taken in by Security Firm at the age of thirteen; everything before that year was blurry and she dismissed those lost years as insignificant. Now, however, she was curious to know just what she had run away from. Her own pride rebelled at the thought that she was running away from her past, but her self-preservation whispered that some things are better left alone.

Torn between remaining blissfully ignorant and becoming painfully aware, Homura lay awake on the floor in front of Madoka's bedroom door for several more hours. Sleep did not come to her despite her exhaustion, and she regretted it when Madoka arose shortly after seven o' clock.

_At least I can look forward to Kyoko arriving later today_, Homura blearily thought. She staggered to her feet and hastily went through her own morning routine – berating herself for sleeping in – before joining Madoka in the kitchen, where the cook had prepared a lavish breakfast for his mistress. The pinkette promptly asked Homura to join her upon seeing her bodyguard at the door.

Deciding that breaking protocol wouldn't hurt this one time, Homura sank into a chair on Madoka's left and grabbed several slices of French toast. "Homura-chan?" Madoka caught Homura's attention. Her purple eyes focused on the pinkette even as her hand reached for a bowl of steamed rice. Smiling at Homura's evident appetite, Madoka served her a plate of nori [dried seaweed] and broiled salmon. "Umm, Homura-chan, I was thinking of inviting Mami-san for dinner tonight, since she finished her yesterday. Do you know her? I know both of you work for the same company, and she's also in Division A …" Madoka trailed off as she saw Homura stiffen and put down her chopsticks. "Homura-chan …?"

"Yes. I know Tomoe Mami," was all her bodyguard said. Madoka watched her worriedly, noting how Homura seemed to be absorbed in thought. In fact, Homura was beset by mental images of a girl with yellow hair in ringlets, wearing a fancy uniform – of sorts. She shook her head, wondering why these memories were resurfacing now: what had broken the barrier she had erected? Had it been her visit with Kyoko? Specifically, Kyoko's offhand mention of Mami? Whatever caused this, Homura wished it would leave her in peace. Her life had been just fine before, if redundant; these blasted memories only confused her to no end.

Now, she couldn't look at Madoka without seeing a younger girl who resembled the older woman so much. Homura found that odd, and so a theory began to form in her mind: she had known Kaname-san when they were younger.

"Homura-chan, are you feeling alright?" Madoka interrupted Homura's train of thought. Her hand tentatively reached out to her bodyguard, but she refrained from actually touching her arm.

"Kaname-san, if we do not leave now you might be late for class." Startled, Madoka leapt to her feet with a cry and dashed to her study to get her rucksack. Homura allowed herself a slight smile at Madoka's antics before thanking the cook for the breakfast. She went out, giving the car and Kyo a quick inspection and then waited for Madoka to come bursting out the front door.

Once in the car, however, Madoka turned to her black-haired companion once more with concern in her eyes. "Kaname-san, do not worry over me. I am fine," Homura quickly said, evading Madoka's inquiries. The pinkette nodded slowly, biting her lower lip unconsciously.

Minutes later, they arrived in front of Mitakihara Middle School. The students were clustered outside her classroom, wondering where their teacher was. Out of breath, Madoka showed up just moments before the bell rang, with Homura easily keeping up. She hastily unlocked the classroom and ushered her students in, ignoring their curiosity.

"Right, ah – oh! Class, please turn in your …" Homura took her position by the door and tuned out the noises of the classroom. She had been mesmerized the first time she watched Madoka teach, but right now she had more pressing problems; namely, making sense of the flood of old memories. Being at the school she had once attended was nostalgic in and of itself, but now those vague memories of teachers and classes were interspersed with poignant memories of a bright girl in pig tails who was both shy and exuberant.

* * *

By the time lunch came around, Homura was more than ready for a break and a distraction from the increasingly distressful turn of her thoughts/memories. Unfortunately for her, Madoka was busy with make-up tests for students who had missed class the week before, so she had to endure her thoughts a while longer. She had come to a horrifying realization.

_Kyubey. He is once again following Madoka. He changed his form, but not his ways. No! After all of my sacrifices, all of my tears and all those negated timelines, he __**continues**__ to be a threat! This time, however, I – I cannot turn back. My magic is gone. This is my last chance to save Madoka_. Anguished, burdened by new and old knowledge, Homura wanted to break down crying right then and there, but years of practice enabled her to simply clench her jaw and remain impassive. Internally, she screamed as her world came crashing down; externally, she remained stoic and aloof.

"Homura-chan, would you like to accompany me on a walk to the roof top?" Madoka appeared in front of her, smiling that sweet smile that time could not dull. That smile ensnared Homura's heart and strengthened her resolve to keep Madoka forever free from Kyubey's clutches.

"Kaname-san, it is my duty to follow you everywhere you go," she gently reminded the art teacher. Madoka blushed but her smile turned into a delighted grin. She headed out with her lunchbox – decorated with kittens, Homura noted – her bodyguard just a step behind her, scanning the halls for any danger to her client.

When her client was comfortably seated, eating and gazing up at the sky, Homura gathered up her courage to ask a question.

"Doesn't the sky look so pretty, Homura-chan? All those wispy clouds just drifting … I wonder where they go? It would be so much fun to be a cloud! They swirl around sometimes and make such exquisite shapes against the blue sky. Mama said that when it rains, it's because the kami are crying for us, and storms are when they are angry at our foolishness," Madoka rambled, her eyes leaving the sky to smile at Homura.

"I – yes, Kaname-san. That makes sense," Homura murmured, slightly chagrined that Madoka had unknowingly interrupted her. "Kaname-san, may I ask a question?" she hastily asked as the pinkette's gaze returned to the clouds drifting serenely, though she focused on Homura once again.

"Of course, Homura-chan," Madoka replied, slightly surprised at the hesitance she could see in her normally calm and controlled bodyguard.

"Kaname-san … do you remember me?" Homura blurted out. Confusion spread across Madoka's expression.

"Remember … you …?" she slowly repeated.

"I – yes. Kaname-san, we were both students here, over twelve years ago. I was the transfer student …" Homura felt so lost and helpless, she desperately wanted Madoka to hug her as she used to do back when they were young. But wait, hadn't that been in the other timelines? In this timeline, Madoka barely knew Homura, even when they had been students at this very school.

Madoka frowned but she cast her thoughts back, searching her memory for an Akemi Homura. "Why, yes!" Surprised, Madoka closed her eyes and remembered the day a transfer student had arrived at Mitakihara Middle School. "Yes … I remember the day Saotome-san introduced you to the class …" she trailed off, bewildered. "You always avoided me, Homura-chan."

Homura flinched. Her hand reached up and rubbed her forehead, trying to regain a semblance of control over this increasingly out-of-control situation. "It was for your safety, Kaname-san." She frowned, trying to figure out exactly what she wanted to tell Madoka, who stayed silent. "Kaname-san, your life is in danger. Do you not remember … do you not remember a white, cat-like creature who called himself Kyubey? Does your albino stalker not remind you of an alien by the same name?" Homura asked, her purple eyes gazing into Madoka's pink ones.

Madoka remained absolutely still, and Homura was almost certain that the girl had stopped breathing. A frown marred her beautiful face. She stood up and walked to the fence bordering the school's rooftop, her relatively small hands gripping the fence. Homura was reminded of the countless times her younger counterparts had done the exact same thing. Madoka's words floated back to Homura on the passing breeze.

"That was so long ago, Homura-chan. I … you were a magical girl, then? The only Puella Magi I knew were Mami-san and … Kyoko-san. I don't know what happened to Kyoko, Mami refused to talk about her afterwards. You … Kyubey. How did I overlook it? I used to hold Kyubey in my arms, pet him – he _was_ adorable, you have to admit that. How did I not see?" Madoka mused. She turned to Homura, "So he is trying to convince me to become a magical girl? Is that what his "company" is?"

"I am not sure … the connection between the albino and the alien cat only came to me this morning," Homura admitted. Madoka nodded slowly. Just then, the bell rang and so the pair made their way to class, silent.

Homura decided that repressing memories was more trouble than it was worth.

**A/N****: I don't even know how this chapter happened. Major plot twist just sprouted up when I decided to deny Kyoko her sleep and have Kyubey pop up. I spent a couple of hours messing around with the idea and filling it out, so worry not: all shall be revealed … eventually. Anyway, in light of adding in the anime canon, I went back and changed two words in chapter two for the sake of consistency and I changed the summary. Also, I have a feeling that this is not going to be the seven-chapter story I had originally planned, XD. I considered revising/expanding the previous chapters, but after much thought, I decided to leave them and just do a rewrite when the /whole/ story is done. So, please review and tell me what you think! Oh, and a million thanks to those who have followed/favorite/reviewed! It honestly does encourage me to write, lol. ~**_**Teddy**_**. **


	5. Chapter 5

The Bodyguard and the Client

"_Well_, ain't this a fancy place?"

Kyoko gazed up at the Kaname family home, eyebrows nearly disappearing into her hairline, impressed. "I hope she lets me boss the chef around." A devious smirk lit up her face as a maid came out and greeted her. "Here's my ID and license," Kyoko shoved her wallet identification in the maid's face and brushed by her, idly wondering where the kitchen could be found. Flustered, the maid nodded dubiously and led the red-head upstairs to Madoka's study, where the ever-stoic Homura dismissed the maid.

"Yo, Homura," Kyoko greeted Homura as she pulled out a packet of Pocky from her suit jacket. The elder bodyguard ignored the red-head's lack of formality and cast a critical eye on Kyoko's appearance: she was wearing the standard black suit, though with a red dress shirt instead of a regular white one. The color of Kyoko's dress shirt normally would not have warranted much attention, but this time it brought up memories of Kyoko's old Magus uniform. _Kyoko was going to kill Miki Sayaka – Tomoe Mami killing Kyoko – Kyoko accusing her of not caring about Madoka – Walpurgisnacht killing Kyoko – Kyoko carrying Miki's dead body – they were fighting witches together – Kyoko agreeing to go to school, only to die the next day – _

"Earth to Akemi Homura! You checkin' me out or something?" Kyoko smirked but quickly grew concerned at Homura's lack of response and increasingly panicked expression. "Dammit, Homura-san? What's wrong?" she grabbed the frozen bodyguard by the shoulders and shook her.

"Stop." Terse, Homura pried Kyoko's hands off of her. "Your shirt is not the usual white, Sakura-san," she said coldly, refusing to meet her eyes. Confused, Kyoko shrugged. "Well, as long as the suit's black, the color of the shirt doesn't matter. You know that; heck, _you're_ wearing a _violet_ dress shirt!"

Instead of replying, Homura turned around and opened the study door. "Kaname-san," she bowed. Madoka looked up from the watercolors she was examining and beamed at her bodyguard.

"Homura-chan!" Then, noticing Kyoko standing behind Homura, she asked, "Is that your partner? Please, come in and make yourself at home, um …"

"Sakura Kyoko, Division C security agent – but I assure you, it's not a lack of experience and talent that's keeping me in Division C," Kyoko winked at Madoka, but the wink went unnoticed with Homura frozen in front of her. However, when Kyoko stepped around her, Madoka furrowed her forehead, wondering why Homura's partner looked so familiar. The mane of red hair, the smirk and fang, the Pocky packet in her hand – "Kyoko-san?" Madoka gasped. To her credit, Kyoko had immediately recognized the pinkette but had assumed that she did not remember her. Now, however, she puffed up and proudly proclaimed, "The one and only!" Madoka immediately left her desk and hugged Kyoko, who winked at a frowning Homura.

Curious and unable to contain her boundless energy, Kyoko began bombarding the pinkette with questions. "Mado-san –" At Homura's glare, the red-head quickly backtracked. "Err, Kaname-san, when did you get so rich? What happened to the house you used to live in, in the city? Would you mind showing me the kitchens? Do you really have an army of servants at your command, like in the movies? Do you live here alone? Oh, how have you been all these years? 'Long time, no see' and all that stuff." Kyoko paused for another Pocky stick, which gave an amused Madoka a chance to reply.

"Hold on, I need a chance to answer!" she laughed as she sat behind her desk again, shuffling some papers around. Homura remained by the door, mindful of her job as bodyguard, but also captivated by her client's beauty. Neither the pinkette nor the red-head noticed Homura's staring.

"Mama became the CEO once her boss retired, about a year after … well, between her earnings and Papa's at-home business we had enough to buy and maintain this place after we sold our old house. Tatsuya's studying abroad, in America and Mama was on a business trip in Tokyo a few weeks ago but she's visiting Tatsuya right now." Here, Madoka paused. Homura and Kyoko sensed the pinkette's hesitation and unease. "My father died a few years ago when he had a sudden stroke, so yes, I am currently living alone here. There's only the cook, the chauffer, and two maids: no grand army of servants, I'm afraid. I'm fine, though. I have a fulfilling job and loving friends – what more could I need?" Even as she said, however, Madoka felt a certain emptiness in her last statement.

Kyoko – for once – had the tact to refrain from digging deeper. "Well, things have certainly changed," she said, a Pocky stick clenched between her teeth." A thought occurred to her. "What happened to Miki Sayaka? She around? Is she still with violin-boy?"

"You don't know? She's a Division B bodyguard at Security Firm …" Madoka trailed off, confused. Surprised, Kyoko stood silent for a few seconds, wondering how that fact had escaped her notice.

Internally rolling her eyes at Kyoko's cluelessness, Homura spoke up. "Kaname-san, should I call a maid to get Sakura-san settled in?" Madoka nodded, looking worriedly at a lost Kyoko. Homura quickly left the study, trusting Kyoko to take care of Madoka for a few minutes. Besides, she was desperate to find an escape – even if it was only temporary – from Madoka's presence. Ever since the night before, the mere sight of her client reminded her of all the pain she had gone through for her, something that Homura had sworn to forget after finding salvation in Security Firm. Unfortunately, running away from the past almost never ended well.

Back in the study, Kyoko took the seat in front Madoka's desk. "Say, Mado-san … why exactly do you need a bodyguard? Homura didn't explain last night," Kyoko asked, propping her feet up on the desk. Madoka blinked, unused to Kyoko's carelessness.

"Oh, well … umm, I'm being stalked. He only appears when I'm alone, though, so a … friend suggested I hire a bodyguard, and here we are." Madoka refrained from mentioning Mami to the red-head, since she was not sure how things were between the two. Kyoko nodded, satisfied with that answer.

The door opened and one of the maids entered, followed closely by Homura. "Kaname-sama?" the maid curtsied.

"Ah, yes, please give Kyoko-san a tour of the house and allow her to choose a bedroom on the first floor. Introduce her to Nero, the cook, and once she's all done she may do as she pleases for the rest of the day – unless Homura-chan asks for her," Madoka instructed. Kyoko was impressed: the bashful pinkette had rarely been so assertive when they were younger – at least, not as far as Kyoko knew. Mae nodded and gestured for the red-head to follow. Personally, the maid thought the new bodyguard was slightly unbalanced, but if Akemi-san trusted her then perhaps she wasn't so bad.

"Sakura-san," Homura stopped Kyoko on her way out, "return here when you are finished. Kaname-san will be busy grading, so we will have a chance to discuss arrangements before dinnertime. Agreed?" Kyoko brightened up at the mention of dinner and nodded.

Homura turned to her client, who smiled gently at her. _No … I refuse to fall into that self-destruction again_. She kept her expression free of emotion. "Kaname-san, I will be in the hallway should you need me." With that, Homura left Madoka to her grading.

* * *

_She was all alone in the hospital. Her mother had died of cardiac arrest – the very same danger that threatened to take away her own life. She could barely remember her mother's loving smile. Her father had lived for several more years, desperately working in order to give his only daughter a chance to live. He died in a construction accident when she was ten. She spent two more years in the hospital after her father's death, resigning herself to a life of hopelessness. She transferred to Mitakihara Middle School: her old school no longer accepted her, due to how far she had fallen behind, despite her best efforts to keep up. A year went by – her memory went strangely fuzzy here – then Security Firm took her in and she transferred to another school. Twelve years passed. Sometimes, she partnered with Sakura Kyoko – where had they met? – but she preferred to work alone. Alone, alone, __**alone**__. But safe. She was safe. Why she needed to be safe, she didn't know. _

"The kitchens! I tell ya, Mado's got it good!" Kyoko gushed, regaling Homura with her wonderful adventure in the kitchen. They were standing in the corridor outside of Madoka's study, a couple of hours after Kyoko had made her grand entrance.

"Nero-sama said he would gladly teach me how to —" Kyoko paused. She could easily tell that Homura was not paying attention. Her gaze was distant, unfocused (_Alone, alone, __**alone**__. But she was safe, and that's all that mattered … right?_); something was bothering her. That in and of itself was worrisome: Homura was rarely bothered by anything. Crossing her arms, Kyoko leaned against the wall and waited for her companion to notice the silence.

Minutes crawled by in utter silence.

Homura suddenly focused on Kyoko's still form. "Ah, Sakura-san. I take it you finished settling in?" The red head nodded, her usual smirk absent from her expression. Kyoko had an epiphany: the incident over the shirt this morning, the sudden chaos in Homura, and the very fact that Homura was working for Madoka despite her vow to never see the pinkette ever again, twelve years ago.

"Homura." The grave inflection of her name caught Homura's attention. Her blank purple eyes looked at her partner. "Open the door, Homura." Baffled, the black-haired bodyguard frowned at Kyoko. "What?" Impatient, the red head raised her voice and called for Madoka through the closed door. Homura had a bad feeling about this.

The door opened and a concerned Madoka stuck her head out. "Kyoko-san?"

"Kaname-san, we all need to have a little chat before Homura here goes insane," Kyoko bluntly said, ignoring Homura's shocked and discomfited expression. Madoka's hands immediately reached out to her bodyguard, though she stopped herself short of actually reaching Homura. Instead, she nodded and let them into her study.

Kyoko suddenly had a weird sensation of sitting in the principal's office awaiting punishment – Madoka's normally shy and bashful presence was suddenly serious and imposing. Homura recognized this as her "teacher mode." The pinkette did not say anything, preferring to wait for Kyoko to explain.

"Right, err …" Kyoko fumbled her jacket pockets for something to munch on, pulling out a chocolate bar. A couple of bites steadied her nerves far better than any alcoholic drink could. "I'm not exactly sure where to start, but … Kaname-san, Homura here has repressed almost all of her memories from her time at Mitakihara Middle School. I'm afraid that something's triggered their release and it's affecting her badly." Madoka glanced at her bodyguard, concerned, but Homura refused to look at her.

"I think, Kyoko-san, that we have all repressed our memories of that particular year," Madoka tapped her fingers against the desk, deep in thought. When Kyoko opened her mouth to continue, Madoka raised a hand for silence. Homura glanced at her client uncertainly: Madoka had certainly learned to take control in the twelve years that she had last seen the modest pinkette. The confident person in front of Homura was more similar to the "first" Madoka she had met all those timelines ago, not the girl who was almost heartbreakingly timorous Homura had last seen. Homura had only been Madoka's bodyguard for just under two weeks, and – before her memories had started messing with her – she had come to think of the pinkette as having two alternating personalities. As a bodyguard, Homura had received training in psychoanalyzing in order to deal with hostage situations and the like. Unfortunately, that training was no help to her now, when she herself was – she hated to admit it – possibly going insane. _Post-traumatic stress disorder, that's all it is_, Homura tried to reassure herself.

Madoka suddenly leaned back into her chair, interrupting Homura's train of thought. "Kyoko-san, it is high time we confront our past; that was your goal in starting this conversation, yes?"

"Yes, Madoka-san. I had an epiphany earlier, when I realized Homura wasn't paying attention to what I was saying. No offense, but you don't know what she – what we have been through. Tomoe always kept you at a distance, making sure you didn't get caught up in the mess that was our lives," Kyoko explained. Then, feeling awkward because she was unused to being so serious, Kyoko stood up and started pacing.

Homura sat stiffly in her chair, suddenly furious because Kyoko thought that Mami had saved Madoka. _That is incorrect: __**I**__ saved Madoka. __**I **__finally saved her_. She clenched her fists.

_Homura was going, going, always going in circles. She had not been able to save Madoka this time, but that was fine. All she had to do was turn back time, repeat the month once more. If that timeline failed – well, no matter. She would continue going in circles until she found Madoka's salvation. _

"Homura-chan!" Madoka's warm hands gripping her cold hands felt nice. She looked up at Madoka – _when did she get up? _– and stared into the younger woman's pink eyes. _You have very pretty eyes, Madoka. Why did you have to die? You were so brave, so kind, so pure … but fate saw it fit to kill you, to take you away from me. _

"I saved you, Kaname-san, not Tomoe Mami," Homura's soft voice sounded miserable and weary. Madoka could only nod. She looked to Kyoko, uncertainty replacing her earlier poise. The red head only shrugged helplessly.

Akemi Homura was falling apart before their very eyes.

There was a lucid part of Homura that marveled at the rapidness of her own deterioration. _I used to be in control, only a day ago. Now I am falling apart, letting my own memories destroy me_.

"Homura-chan?" Madoka's grip on her hands tightened. _What's happening to you? Why am I being stalked by Kyubey again? Why now? Why are you so … __**broken**__?_

Suddenly, Homura could not keep silent anymore. "I saved you, Kaname-san. But you saved me first." She could see the unease and even a sliver of doubt in the pinkette's expression. "Every single iteration drives you further away from me," Homura mused out loud sadly. She avoided looking at Madoka and Kyoko, preferring to stare at one of the paintings in the study. "I was alone in the hospital. My mother had died of cardiac arrest – the same problem I myself had. I was only four years old … I cannot picture her loving smile anymore. Father died six years later in a construction accident. He worked so hard to pay for the best care Tokyo could offer. Later, my old school refused to readmit me, because I had fallen behind too much. I transferred to Mitakihara Middle School. There, Kaname-san, I met you." Swallowing painfully, Homura glanced at Madoka, whose hands had not let go of her own. Concern and curiosity were apparent in the pinkette's expression. Homura disregarded Kyoko's presence in the chair next to her – only Madoka mattered right now. _Your hands are so warm … _

"You approached me during break and escorted me to the nurse's office," here, Homura had to stop and force herself to refrain from crying. "You were so kind, so cheerful, so confident. I trailed behind you, uncertain and with zero self-confidence. You always had a bright smile for everyone – for me. In your infinite kindness, you declared yourself my friend. When I went home that day, however, all I could think about was how worthless and pathetic I was compared to you. A witch sensed my self-destructive thoughts and augmented them: I contemplated suicide. Then I realized I was in a strange place – a witch's lair. I thought I would die there, all alone. Kaname-san, you saved me. Tomoe Mami was the veteran, you explained later, but you were my hero." Madoka's forehead furrowed in confusion. _But I have never been a magical girl_, she wanted to protest. "— I was amazed by how confident and cheerful you were. From then on, I was irrevocably tied to you.

"When you died – fighting Walpurgis Nacht – I did not hesitate to make a contract with the damned Kyubey. Thus began an endless repetition of a single month. No matter what I did to save you, to change your horrible fate, you kept leaving me. Over the course of many timelines, of many deaths, I learned the truth behind the Puella Magi and witches. In fact, you became a witch once. Kriemhild Gretchen. That was painful … I do not know which was more painful: watching you become a witch or killing you at your orders in order to avoid becoming a witch. At any rate, I kept rewinding time. The timeline before this one was particularly painful. I was a complete stranger to you by then. Every time I went back, we grew farther and farther apart. You tried to befriend me – as you had done in every other timeline – but your best friend hated me, and ultimately she came before me. _I was no longer your best friend_." Hearing the raw anguish in Homura's voice made Madoka want to pull her into a tight embrace and reassure her that it was all going to be alright. All she did, however, was kneel before Homura, since the strain of being hunched over was starting to become painful. Homura continued to studiously avoid looking at her.

"I killed Kyubey many times in an attempt to stop you from making a contract, but what stopped you in that last timeline was one of Walpurgis's familiars. You had lost almost all of your friends by then – I knew that if you managed to survive, you would be scarred by the deaths of so many close friends. I was close to giving up hope, but I turned back time again, promising myself that _this_ time I would succeed. I saved you, Kaname-san. It was painful, keeping myself at a distance. I was content to work alongside Mami-san once more, but it was not as fulfilling as working with you. When we teamed up with Kyoko, I was pleased. It was difficult to get the two to ignore their differences, but at least this time there was neither Oriko nor Kirika to disrupt my plans. Mami-san did indeed keep you and Miki Sayaka from becoming involved, but I had planned that." Homura fell silent, mentally fending off heavy memories of different timelines. She stared at Madoka's bowed form, finding it absurd that Madoka was **kneeling** before her.

Kyoko, for her part, could not decide which she would rather believe: that Homura was insane or that Homura was telling the truth. Both options were painful and undeniably heartbreaking. Glancing at the clock, she clenched her teeth, realizing that one of the maids would most likely come up soon to announce that dinner was ready. _Ah well, I guess food will have to wait today_, she ruefully thought. Kyoko got up as silently as she could, waving a hand at the concerned look Madoka sent her from her awkward position on the floor. _Poor Mado, she's going to be rather sore later – and not for the right reasons_. Kyoko smirked to herself and went off to warn the maids that the study was currently off-limits for the next hour or so, for dear Kaname-san needed some _alone time_ with her bodyguard. The scandalized face of one of the maids almost made her feel guilty … almost. _You can't blame a gal for having some fun. When I agreed to help out Homura, I definitely didn't expect her to fall apart the first day! _Then, her stomach grumbled, and Kyoko debated going to the kitchens for a snack but decided against it because she knew she probably wouldn't be able to resist over-indulging. _Ah, the woes of being Kyoko! _

Homura had enough presence of mind to realize that Kyoko would want to be present for the rest of her narration, so she contented herself with staring at her client. _Such a lovely face, Madoka. I'm glad that you at least got to experience more of life than in all the other timelines. Those kind pink eyes, smooth cheeks, smiling lips – how did I manage to forget about you for __**twelve**__ years? _

Madoka, on the other hand, was getting a bit uncomfortable with Homura's blatant staring (she was loath to admit that a part of her actually liked being blatantly checked out). She really didn't know what to think of Homura's story. It was obvious that the bodyguard loved her – why else would she have tried so desperately to save her? That is, if her story was true. But then, there was no way to prove that, so Madoka would have to either believe her or chalk it up to insanity. Somehow, though, Madoka felt that she should trust Homura and accept it. _I never did pluck up the courage to become a magical girl. I might have, but Mami-san strongly advised me against it, and I had no real reason to sacrifice my soul. Sayaka-chan almost did, after Kyosuke rejected her, but in the end she didn't. All this time, though … Homura's been fighting for my life? __**Sometimes, there is no other choice. You either fight or see someone else fighting on your behalf**__. _Where had she read that? No matter. Madoka felt guilty for putting Homura through all of that pain, even though she had not known. _I really hate Kyubey now_. Except, it wasn't entirely Kyubey's fault, now was it? He was the tempter, certainly, but he had not forced them to make a contract – _it is our own inability to accept reality that should be blamed. It's our own fault_.

Kyoko burst in and reclaimed her seat next to Homura; Madoka was grateful for the distraction. "Ah, sorry for that. Didn't want the maid interrupting and all," she explained, putting her feet up on the desk.

"Kyoko-san, I would appreciate it if you would remove your feet off of Kaname-san's desk," Homura sternly reprimanded. Abashed, Kyoko did just that.

"Well, now that Kyoko-san is back … umm, well," Madoka floundered awkwardly.

"Do you believe me, Kaname-san?" Homura's purple eyes focused on the kneeling woman, letting go of her warm hands. Madoka's hands dropped to her knees, her head bowed forward: a position that painfully reminded Homura of one particular timeline where Homura herself had nearly died. _Though, I suppose it does not matter whether or not you believe me. You did never believe me – not until it was too late_, she thought bitterly. Perhaps, over the course of scores of timelines, resentment over Madoka's apparent blindness to her situation had built up to the point that Homura had little difficulty forgetting about the pinkette in this timeline. Thus, Madoka's next words surprised her greatly.

"Yes," came the simple reply. Loving pink eyes did not look away from Homura's intense stare. Someone clearing her throat ruined the moment. Kyoko smirked and said, "Look, lovebirds, I was under the impression that we were in the middle of a heart-wrenching walk down memory lane. Oh, and I expect a bonus for this week's work, Kaname-san." Blinking, Madoka processed the wry humor present in the red-head's voice and could not suppress a chuckle.

"Of course, Kyoko-san. Ah, Homura-chan, I think Mami-san should be present for the … second part." Madoka looked concernedly at her bodyguard. "Really, she should have been here for all of it," she added as an afterthought. Homura merely shrugged. She felt better having confessed to her true past. _It seems that talking to someone else truly does help_.

Next to Homura, Kyoko suddenly slumped in her chair dejectedly. "That means this is gonna be a long night. Can I at least eat dinner while you call her?" she pleaded with Madoka, who laughed and told her to go down to the kitchens and bring up dinner for all of them. Beaming and secretly glad to be away from the heavy atmosphere, Kyoko dashed out of the study.

Madoka stared after the red-head for a moment before shaking her head and pulling out her cell phone. Her free hand absently reached up for Homura's cold hands, startling the dazed bodyguard. "Don't you dare fall apart on me, Homura-chan!" Madoka scolded her, though a smile graced her features. She patiently waited for Mami to pick up, but was taken completely by surprise when her bodyguard easily lifted her off the ground, placed her in her lap, and wrapped her arms around the pinkette. "Eep!" she squeaked just as a refined voice on the other end said, "Hello? Tomoe Mami speaking."

"Oh! Mami-san, it's me, Madoka … yes, I'm fine, but I need you to come over as soon as possible …. Well, there's something of a situation; I'll explain everything as soon as you get here, please? … Thank you, Mami-san. Umm, I have to warn you though, Kyoko-san and Homura-chan are with me … no, they're not fighting each other … Alright, I'll see you in a few minutes then." When Madoka hung up, she stayed awkwardly silent for a few seconds, wondering if she should get up or not. Struggling with herself, she eventually decided to wrap her arms around her bodyguard and rest her head on the latter's shoulder. _I'm only trying to comfort her_, Madoka told herself. The fact that being in Homura's embrace felt really soothing had nothing to do with it, not at all.

Many minutes later, Mami found them in that position upon entering the pinkette's study.

"Good evening, Madoka-san, Akemi-san. May someone please explain this?"

**A/N****: Here's the situation now: with school starting in about two weeks, updates will be very slow in coming, so I apologize for that in advance. Anyway, I have no idea what happened [again]. I apologize for taking so long in updating, but I had a lot of trouble writing this chapter – I rewrote it many, many times. In fact, I'm still not satisfied with it: I think it's too wordy and awkward, so I'd really appreciate it if you guys gave me feedback! ~_Teddy_. **


	6. Chapter 6

The Bodyguard and the Client

Serene composure was one of Tomoe Mami's many virtues. However, seeing her once kohai in the lap of one Akemi Homura was almost too much for the ever-restrained musketeer to bear. Mami held a special fondness for the bashful pinkette – well, practically everyone did – and a surge of protectiveness made her tone cold and sharp.

"Good evening, Madoka-san, Akemi-san. May someone please explain this?"

Madoka immediately disentangled herself from a scowling Homura and rose to bow apologetically to her friend. "Mami-san! Thank goodness you are here. Please, have a seat next to Homura-chan" she gestured to the seat next to her frozen bodyguard, disappointed and relieved at the same time. The blonde slowly approached, wary gaze never leaving Homura's alarmingly dead eyes.

"Um, Mami-san, Homura-chan, I have to go get Kyoko before we can, uh, start. Will you two be alright for a few minutes?" Madoka looked anxiously at both of them, hands twitching slightly at her sides. Homura immediately nodded, desperately wanting to show her charge that she needn't be afraid, even if she did not exactly trust Tomoe Mami after two particular timelines.

_They had just killed Oktavia and discovered the awful truth of magical girls and witches, though Homura had already tried to tell them of it before. Horrified, Mami lost her sanity and killed Kyoko – she was about to kill Homura – something shattered – a cry of anguish – an empty promise_. Then, in another timeline: _Madoka was sobbing, the rain was getting everywhere, and Mami held the cold remains of Miki Sayaka in her arms. Gently, she lowered the corpse onto the gravel. "Magical girls turn into witches. There is no other choice." Before she could react – Madoka collapsed on top of her dead best friend – blood, there shouldn't be blood – "Kaname-san! NO, you can't be dead!" – there was blood all over Miki's shirt, mixing with the rain – another gunshot – Mami lying broken, but not of suicide this time – she grabbed her buckler and turned back time again_.

"Homura-chan! Snap out of it, please!" someone begged her. Her eyes refocused and her cold hands grasped desperately at the warm, alive hands of the only being keeping her grounded. "There, there, Homura-chan. I'm here, I'm not dead," Madoka soothed her. Once again, Homura realized her dearest friend was kneeling before her. Standing protectively beside Madoka was Mami, whose wary gaze had softened into something akin to pity. Homura looked away.

For a moment, the only sound in the room was the soft breathing of the three women. It was an odd little scene, misleading: with Madoka kneeling before Homura and Mami standing beside her, it was almost as if Madoka were receiving some sort of blessing or permission from Homura, with Mami as witness. Homura laughed at the mental image, but once she began, she realized that she could not stop laughing at the absurdity that was her life. Frightened, Madoka drew back and scrambled to her feet.

When Kyoko cheerfully entered the study with a tray laden with food and the two maids following with similar trays behind her, she did not expect to see Mami slapping Homura, who seemed to be laughing her head off. "What the…?"

Caught off guard by Mami's sudden action, Homura ceased to laugh and Madoka clapped her hands over her mouth. The room was, once again, eerily silent. Madoka, however, collected herself and took charge.

"Oh dear, um, Kyoko-san, you can put the trays on the desk, and could you bring another chair, Mae-chan? Mami-san, please sit down," Hands gesturing nervously as she spoke, Madoka tried to sound calm and in control, and though she failed everyone calmed down slightly for her sake and obeyed.

Homura remained tense in her chair, her hands clenching the fabric of her black slacks. Haunted eyes alternated between following Madoka's every movement and gazing blankly at the floor; she completely ignored the presence of Kyoko and Mami in the room.

"Right. Everyone, I know this is all, um, uncomfortable and unusual, but **please** put aside your differences for a while so that we can fix this," the pinkette beseeched them, looking specifically at Kyoko and Mami. The gunner nodded, a gentle expression on her face, while the red-head shrugged and kept her mouth shut for Homura's sake. A maid nervously brought the extra chair in and placed it on the other side of Homura, then quickly bowed and fled the room. _Oh dear, I'm going to have to apologize to Mae-chan and the rest later_, Madoka thought to herself.

The pinkette returned to her seat behind her desk, clearly indicating that she was in charge to Kyoko and Mami, though the latter knew better than to usurp a host's authority– it was simply bad manners to do so in the host's own home. Kyoko, however, had no such reservations; it was only her desire to help her long-time friend and the belief that Madoka was pityingly weak that kept her in check.

_Weak, so weak – they were fighting again – why couldn't they stop fighting? – Miki-san and Sakura-san – no, it was Mami-san this time – always, someone arguing – she was crying behind a barrier – she would not allow her to contract! – weak, so weak they were – now you see me, now you don't – can you see me now? – you're hurting her, don't you see – if only things were different – happiness was a lie_—

"Mami-san, I should have called you earlier but there is no use in lamenting," as she spoke, confidence welled up in her heart and she sat straighter in her chair, her voice stronger, and her gaze serious. "We have all repressed our memories of thirteen years ago – some of us unconsciously to a greater extent than others. No, let me finish," she reprimanded Kyoko, who had opened her mouth to protest. Her pink gaze flitted to Homura for a moment, wanting to hug her close and reassure her, to banish the dark thoughts that haunted her, but she resolutely continued. "Thirteen years ago, we were all caught up in magic – Witches – Incubators – Puella Magi. That was a difficult year, wasn't it? My life changed when I found out about the existence of Puella Magi. Oh, how I agonized over whether or not I should make a wish and join you, Mami-san. I felt so useless, so weak, so **dependent** on everyone. Sayaka-chan was closer, though. She almost made a wish, but you stopped her, Mami-san. I didn't know at the time, but Homura-chan had partnered with you, and the Mitakihara territory was too small to support more than two or three magical girls, wasn't it? Sayaka-chan would have wished to save Kyosuke, I know she would, but you convinced her not to make any wish at all. 'Distortions of reality,' you explained, were not meant to be. I was tempted to ignore your words, Mami-san. Kyubey followed me around, as you know, and did his best to convince me. Do you know why I never gave in?"

Here, Mami shook her head, struggling to keep the calm expression on her face and a tight leash on her inner turmoil. _That was so long ago. Please, do not open those wounds again_, her eyes begged the pinkette. Meanwhile, Homura was now uncharacteristically slumped in her chair, white hands gripping the armrests, and Kyoko had gone through an entire plate of traditional sushi and currently debated between onigiri and mentai cheese okonomiyaki for her next meal. _At least she has a coping mechanism_, Madoka wryly thought. With another strained glance to Homura and ignoring the pleas from Mami, the pinkette inexorably continued.

"Sayaka-chan and I got trapped in a witch's liar when you were away from the region once, and Homura-chan saved us. But—" she leant forward slightly, regarding Mami intently — "that in and of itself wasn't unusual. What made the experience utterly horrifying was that we directly witnessed a magical girl turning into a witch. Yuma … that was when we found out the truth about witches and swore never to get caught up in that." Madoka fell silent, staring sadly at Homura and not noticing that Kyoko had turned white as a sheet, chopsticks halfway to her mouth.

"N-no!" the red head cried out in pure anguish. Startled, everyone glanced at her, but only Homura understood the reason for her distress. _It was not supposed to happen like this – Oriko – Kirika – the killing of magical girls – there was blood everywhere – Madoka was dead again – a broken little girl – that night – a syringe, yes – delirious but no one to hurt her _— With great effort, Homura pulled herself out of her daze and the sight of Mami hugging a sobbing Kyoko met her gaze. Madoka was baffled, unaware that Kyoko had known the little girl and had actually requested Mami's help that day to look for Yuma.

Face red and blotchy, Kyoko pushed Mami away gently. "I didn't know that she – that Kyubey had – she didn't deserve that fate!" Homura saw Madoka waver and so she spoke gruffly: "Kyoko-san, it is not your fault. Blame me, for I could not change her fate like I changed Kaname-san's." At this, Mami looked at her suspiciously, wondering for the first time in years what Homura's wish had been.

Madoka broke in, "I am sorry, Kyoko-san. I did not know you knew her." She swallowed painfully. "Her turning, however, saved Sayaka and me from a similar fate. Yuma was a brave girl – I am glad I met her. From then on, I stopped believing in Kyubey and in magic. Sayaka-chan was worried for you, Mami-san, and she wanted to make a contract and join you, but then you returned and Kyoko-san came a few days later. For me, though, it was all over the moment I realized Yuma-san had become a witch." Homura looked distinctly reassured at her last statement and she straightened up in her seat. Madoka allowed Mami and Kyoko a few moments to process everything before sighing heavily, turning to Homura. "Homura-chan … would you like to tell them yourself?" she gently asked, infinite love for the ex-time-traveler in her pink eyes. Homura drew strength from her for the first time in a half-century: she had always mourned the loss of the confident Madoka over countless iterations.

The normally-stoic bodyguard did not take her gaze away from Madoka, but her words were directed to the blonde on her left. "You disagreed with my methods, Tomoe-san. You did not understand why I was so cold —" she shuddered and closed her eyes — "you sought comfort in my companionship, comfort I could not provide you. Everything I had was sacrificed for Kaname-san: my existence depended solely on her. I cared for you, yes, you had once been my senpai, but after you killed Kyoko-san in one timeline and then Kaname-san in another, I delegated less attention and effort on you. Keeping all of you alive took too much time, too much effort, so I gave up on you, on Miki-san, and on Sakura-san. Kaname-san became my sole focus – then, when that did not save her, I returned my focus to her friends and hoped desperately that, if I saved the three of you, then perhaps Kaname-san would not —" Homura broke off, opening her eyes briefly to meet Madoka's concerned gaze. She squeezed her eyes shut again, realizing that she was once again falling into destructive love.

Mami did not understand. One word stood out to her, however: timeline. Her eyes widened – for Tomoe Mami was very sharp – as she remembered that Homura had had time magic. The subtle hints clicked together and she gasped.

"Akemi-san, do you mean to say – are you – your time magic —" she fumbled for words, uneasy and not sure if she truly wanted to know or not. Certainly, she knew Homura was very powerful for a girl with no apparent grand destiny, but time traveling on such a large scale required magic beyond normal levels. On the other side of Homura, Kyoko starred at Madoka, preferring to wonder if the pinkette had some sort of personality disorder over dwelling over her long time companion's devastating repetitions of the same month. Food could not console her this time.

"I relived two months of our seventh grade at Mitakihara Middle School many times in an attempt to save Kaname-san from the fate all magical girls eventually met," the ex-time-traveler tersely ground out, hands now pressed urgently into her eyes.

Silence reigned once more in the study. Dinner lay forgotten on the desk as even Kyoko felt the smothering weight of Homura's suffering augmenting their own tribulations. Mami remained frozen, hands bunching up her skirt and gaze lowered in a manner reminiscent of Madoka.

_Laughing – the sun was too bright, but that was ok – Kyubey hadn't approached her yet, that was good – pink, she couldn't see pink without thinking of her – her room was just as she had expected, stuffed animals and all – why did I buy that panda – her delighted laughter when she gave her Panda-san as a present – Miki-san was jealous – her best friend was no longer hers – no, no, __**no**__ – sacrifice all you have to clear your conscious!_ —

"Think, Tomoe-san. My magic controlled time, and the sand in my buckler was not easily consumed during battles with witches, you know that well enough; turning the calendar back a month was easy," Homura insisted, now balling her hands into fists and hunching over. She desperately wanted to escape from Madoka's concerned gaze; she simply couldn't keep her concentration and control over herself when the pinkette was around.

Mami realized it now: this was all merely a ploy, a cruel prank designed by Homura to get rid of her, and of course Kyoko would willingly play along, just to spite her! How they had managed to convince sweet Madoka to be their accomplice and how Kyoko managed to pull off such a convincingly devastated expression escaped her, but she was done playing their little game. _Akemi, you must not be allowed remain with Madoka-san anymore: you are a danger to her_. She unconsciously nodded, ready to remove Homura from the premises, even if it warranted force.

"Actually, Akemi-san, I think you have lost your mind. Clearly, your obsession with Kaname-san has driven you to such lows in order to get rid of me. You will not take Kaname-san away from me, however!" the gunner replied. Unfortunately, her words had struck a chord in the ex-time-traveler's heart.

Homura leapt up, suddenly an enormous beast looming over a startled Mami. Her hands trembled at her sides, but her low voice was free of tremors, if not its iciness.

"This is not a _joke_, Tomoe Mami. Do not sully Kaname-san's kindness with your words," she snarled.

"Kindness?" Mami scoffed. "Please, she probably only keeps you around as _entertainment_!" Kyoko quickly restrained Homura like some sort of criminal, stopping her from bodily attacking Mami.

"At least I managed to save the person dearest to me, unlike you! Did you forget already, Tomoe, how you failed to save your parents?" Homura returned wrathfully, straining against Kyoko's hold.

Hating herself for being so petty, yet also enraged by Homura's harsh words, Mami completely forgot her serene composure. "I will not stand for your condemnation!"

Homura tried to calm herself down and insisted, "Will you be silent and _listen_ to my explanation! I have the power to turn back time—"

Mami interrupted her. "Why should I listen to your explanations? False they all are! You are **killing** Kaname-san, not saving her!" Homura cast off Kyoko easily and reached towards the gunner, bent on justifying her actions, horrified at Mami's words and their implications. "Shut your mouth! How dare you – I am human and I need to be loved just as you do!" Her voice was no longer soft and menacing, but loud with a note of despair in it that promised painful retribution on the blonde. Mami leapt out of her seat, hands thrust in front of her to stop Homura.

_Can you fill me, slowly – grey worlds, gloomy but safe – how I wish I had a proper weapon! – her smile, her laughter – she didn't recognize her, of course not, you're embarrassing her now – running, always running – no, she wouldn't make in time – Kaname-san – when the ribbons released her, she knew Tomoe Mami was dead again – hands thrust in front of her, ribbons curling up her legs – gunshots – you weren't supposed to die like this!_ —

"Stop! Please, both of you!" Madoka begged them; she was somehow suddenly between the gunner and the ex-time-traveler. Her small hands grasped the front of Homura's dress shirt desperately and she craned her neck upwards to meet her bodyguard's bewildered eyes, though her words were addressed to her once mentor. "Mami-san, you don't need to be so bitter anymore – you have Sayaka-chan and I, and you know that I will never leave you. But Homura-chan is telling the truth, don't you feel it? Don't you – haven't you ever felt echoes and shadows of memories you never made? Haven't you ever walked on a particular path and felt that you had walked there before, even though that was the first time you had even been there? And Homura-chan, please give her time to process everything." Kyoko took advantage of Homura's lapse in concentration to once again restrain her. _Please don't attack Mami_, she silently begged. Homura, however, ignored both Kyoko and the irony of Madoka's last statement; her attention was focused instead on the pinkette's words about echoes of memories and filed them away to study later, when she was calm and in control of herself. Her purple eyes gazed into Madoka's pink ones, and she suddenly wanted nothing more than to kiss those kind lips. Instead, self-loathing filled her and she avoided looking at the light of her life. She watched Mami collapse back into her chair, looking as lost as Homura herself felt.

_What are you doing?! _Mami rebuked herself, feeling horrible for causing Madoka and Homura such distress. Though the motives behind it were questionable now, Homura had saved her from despair and loneliness – she had brought companionship when she teamed up with her, and then brought Kyoko back to her, however brief that had lasted. Besides, time travel explained many things: how Homura had sometimes spoke as if reading directly from a script, how she knew exactly when certain witches would appear, and her own unsettling moments of a sort of déjà vu. Mami stood up, determined, and bowed low, rendering herself submissive before Madoka and Homura. "Akemi-san, I apologize. My words were cruel and out of line." She hesitating before continuing, "I believe you, Akemi-san. For that, I am truly sorry."

Madoka's loving hands pulled her up out of her bow; Homura scowled but nodded. "Apology accepted, Tomoe-san. Sakura-san, will you release me now?" she added the second part sternly, displeased at being handled like some criminal. Kyoko scoffed and let go of her; everyone returned to their original places and, by silent agreement, they turned their attention to the now-cold dinner.

No one spoke as they ate dinner, each preferring to remain absorbed in her thoughts. Kyoko was relieved that her ex-senpai had not been harmed, though she would not admit it if asked. Anyway, all's well that ends with food, right? Coping mechanism or not, a food obsession was definitely a better alternative to destructive love, Kyoko decided.

Madoka, on the other hand, longed to soothe her tense bodyguard and take her away from all the suffering in the world. _Those dark thoughts she is thinking, if only I could erase them! _She wished she knew what had happened in all the previous timelines – _no, wish is a bad word now_, she reminded herself. _Homura-chan is running away from me, though. She refuses to look at me – is she scared of me? Or has it been so long that she is scared of her own feelings? But then, what do __**I**__ feel for her? I barely know her for all of two weeks. _The pinkette cast aside her thoughts in favor of thinking of a course of action: Homura needed a psychiatrist, that much was clear; thank goodness she had also majored in psychology! Then again, perhaps Madoka was too close to the source of Homura's troubles to be of much help …

Homura kept her eyes focused on the plate before her. She silently counted the grains of rice on her chopsticks, willing the maelstrom of memories to leave her alone. _One, two, three, four – by the fourth iteration, she healed herself and gave up on everyone but Madoka – five, six, seven – the seventh timeline had been relatively optimistic, the only death was that of Madoka – eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen – in the thirteenth repeat, Oriko and Kirika appeared for the first time – fourteen, fifteen, sixteen – then there was sweet Yuma – seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty – in the twentieth iteration, Homura began looking for a solution by studying the origins of Puella Magi – twenty one, twenty two – giving up ceased to be an option – twenty three, twenty four, twenty five – her emotions were wrecked – twenty six, twenty seven _—

Mami's thoughts were scattered: even as she crumbled under the knowledge of Homura's suffering – for it was obvious that all the failed repetitions of the same month had been painful – she felt a kind of morbid curiosity to know what had happened in every previous timeline – and come to think of it, was Homura mentally unstable because of her ordeal? It was all very strange and she had difficulty reconciling her mind around the reality that multiple timelines had been killed in one person's quest to save her beloved. _Turning back a month in time sounds perfectly possible now that I think about it, considering that Akemi-san was such a powerful magical girl. Even Kyubey admired her power._

Suddenly, mid-bite, Mami had an epiphany much like Kyoko had had earlier. She swallowed quickly and her gaze snapped to Madoka. "Madoka-san." Everyone looked at her, startled as the silence shattered. "Madoka-san, that stalker you were talking about … _his name is Kyubey_."

Immediately, tension permeated the atmosphere. Madoka slumped a little, nodding glumly; Homura tightened her grip on her chopsticks and glared at the little grains of rice as if they were the alien himself; and Kyoko looked at Madoka, realization dawning on her. "So that's why ya needed a bodyguard in the first place," the red head muttered around a mouthful of salmon.

"Yes, Mami-san. I'm not sure how we failed to realize that before; I think we all suppressed our memories to such an extent as to forget all about that particular month. Homura-chan realized that my stalker was the very same Kyubey yesterday, and I only realized it when she told me earlier today," Madoka clarified. _Stress should have no place on Madoka's sweet face_, Homura mused.

"Madoka-san, I should have realized this sooner. I have known for some time now that Kyubey was abroad in the world; I actually paid a visit two days ago to Sakura-san to warn her of the danger, for he has been more active lately. How I neglected the fact that he has been following you is beyond me," Mami explained, looking rather abashed. Kyoko nodded, remembering how surprised and (secretly) pleased she had been when Mami had showed up at her apartment after years of no communication. The information, however, was enough to draw Homura out of her funk long enough to inquire further.

Homura frowned slightly, but the desire to protect/save Madoka was strong even after years of burying it. "Tomoe-san, how did you come about knowing that Kyubey is once again active? He has been especially wary of catching the attention of Security Firm, as far as I know," she said, ignoring for the moment that she had completely removed herself from all involvement with magical girls and Incubators for the past twelve years and so could not give an accurate statement on the matter.

"Well, I was speaking with a colleague before my last assignment, several weeks ago. Suzushiro-san, she is one of the bodyguards who also deal with Incubator business. She knows that I used to be a Magus, and so she thought to warn me that the Incubators were beginning to make contracts once again; but I put it out of my mind while I was on my assignment and only remembered when I returned and I happened to pass by Sakura-san's apartment on my way home. Madoka-san, I did not even think of your own predicament…" Mami floundered, a familiar guilt threatening to consume her again.

_This witch was different – how deceptively adorable – pastries and syringes everywhere – syringes – when she went home that evening – just a small vial – no one to disturb her, not even that damned Kyubey – a few hours of release – sweet release – Forgive me, Mami – just one more time – red, red like Kyoko's hair – such a shiny needle – where was her syringe? – she could have sworn she left it in the drawer – she forgot to go patrol the city that night – no, no, it was a mistake – a witch, no, please not here – Madoka!_—

"It's alright, Mami-san; there is no harm done. We are all at fault for not remembering – or rather, for **refusing** to remember. That brings me to a point, however." Madoka looked unusually grave, her shy personality hidden away at the moment. She met everyone's gaze one by one, ensuring absolute attention. "We cannot allow our pasts to dominate us anymore. We need to stop repressing our memories; we need to confront our painful memories. I know some memories are painful, unbearingly so, but we should remember them so that someday they **won't** hurt us. If we just lock them away, then one day the lock will break and we will be no better off than before – just as we find ourselves now. Mami-san, Kyoko-san, you both need to resolve your difference once and for all, please. As for you, Homura-chan, please let me help you," Madoka begged her bodyguard, reaching out.

Homura scowled but did not reject the plea. Kyoko, however, looked at Madoka suspiciously. "Oi, we aren't the only ones with issues. You do realize that you've some sort of personality disorder, right?"

Madoka laughed lightly at that, feeling as if all the confidence in the world was hers. "It is a minor problem, Kyoko-san. As long as my personalities are not destructive – and I assure you, they are not – I will be just fine." She cheerfully ignored the fact that she had a rather bad habit of being self-destructive when her predominant personality – the shy one, ironically enough – was in control.

"Madoka-san, Sakura-san has a point," Mami gently said. "You are a certified psychologist yourself; do you not realize that although your personality swings are relatively stable and minor, the added stress could—"

"Really mess with ya," Kyoko interjected. Mami shot her a disproving look, earning a smirk from the red head and a smile from Madoka. "Homu-chan, this is where ya flip your hair 'n' walk away," the vivacious girl ducked a smack from Mami. _I missed this_, she thought sadly before settling back in her seat and piling yet more food onto her plate, ignoring the pang in her heart at having pushed the blonde away so many times. Homura kept eating in silence, ignoring their antics.

The tense atmosphere dissipated for the moment, as everyone settled into a comfortable silence around dinner. _I will talk to Madoka-san about her problem later_, Mami decided. Madoka knew Mami would not give up, and she herself knew that if she did not seek treatment for her dual personality issue, it could truly degenerate into something far worse. _Right now, though, my goal is to save Homura-chan_, she thought to herself.

_How ironic: even though Madoka is so meek, she is the dominating one. Really, if you look at it from my point of view, why the fuck should I sacrifice myself even more for you? Why should I welcome your domination? It nearly destroyed me before, and I fear it will finish destroying me now if I give in. But you love her_, Homura's heart wailed.

_Love is a lie_.

* * *

A/N: I really hope this chapter was worth the wait! To be clear, the italicized thoughts that are incongruent with the text are supposed to be Homura's thoughts – remember, she's losing her sanity, and I really don't blame her. Please review! I need feedback, criticism, anything! Even flames, I guess, lol. Many thanks to everyone who reviewed/favorite/followed! Next chapter will have some action, I think, but won't be posted 'til mid-October or so, since I have a tendency to procrastinate and then school takes up a lot of my time.

I've added a few sections on my profile wherein I elaborate more on how this story's going; I update it relatively often, so if you want to know when you can expect another chapter or thoughts I'm having as I write, my profile's the place to go!

On a completely different note, I am looking for a beta – not to check my spelling or grammar, but rather to bounce ideas off of and see if the characters make sense. Please PM me if interested, but I reserve the right to be picky, haha ~_**Teddy**_.


	7. Chapter 7

**Warning: Contains swearing and violence/gore**.

The Bodyguard and the Client

Kyoko badly wanted to punch a wall or wreck some violence, but her duty denied her the opportunity. _Yuma_, her heart wailed. She clenched her jaw, struggling to not break down and cry. Sweet little Yuma, with her dark green hair gathered into yellow hair ties, an infectious grin ever-present. _Yuma_.

_She was tired, grumpy after a long night of fighting familiars. Guilt gnawed at her for being so harsh with Mami, but she couldn't bring herself to care. _Dead. They're all fucking **dead**. _Her thoughts took a darker turn, emotions roiling in her heart, eyes stinging in a tell-tale sign of oncoming tears. _God is dead_. Bitterness filled her heart—her soul gem began to take an oily sheen, though she paid no attention to it. _

"_Kyoko-nee-chan! Look! Look, I can fly!" a happy young girl squealed, flapping her arms as she pretended to fly towards the grumpy red-head. Unwillingly, a smile tugged at Kyoko's lips and she gathered the messy green-haired child into an embrace. "Don't try tah fly off the roof, Yuma-chan," she chuckled. _Momo_. Yuma laughed a sweet, carefree laugh that warmed Kyoko's heart. _I couldn't protect you, Momo, but I will protect Yuma for you_. "Kyoko-nee-chan, why can't I be a magical girl, too?" she asked innocently, a pleading expression on her face. The red-head scowled and sharply replied, "It's not worth your life, runt. Being a magical girl ain't all fun and games like in anime." Yuma seemed to accept her rough explanation and chattered on about a game she had once played; Kyoko ignored her unease and listened patiently to the little girl. _Momo. _They had a feast of apples that night, and Yuma slept with the older girl, since Kyoko didn't want to risk—_

Her teeth clamped down on a stick of Pocky, breaking it in half. _Never disrespect food_. She began to pick it up, only to see a pale hand snatch it first. Said hand belonged to: "Kyubey," Kyoko snarled. Enraged, she leapt at him, her hands gauging and punching every inch of skin she could reach, desperate to inflict the pain she felt onto someone else. "You fucking _bastard_! IT'S. ALL. YOUR. DAMN. FAULT!" she howled, tears coursing down her cheeks. Her fist crushed one of his femurs with a sickening **crunch**. Kyubey made no move to protect himself; he lay limp on the floor and let her beat him to a pulp, to the brink of death (and beyond it), smirk never leaving his face. _Die for your sins_.—

_Weakling. You are such a weak person, letting Homura-chan and the others suffer in your stead_. Madoka woke up from her self-hate at the sound of Kyoko's incensed bellow; her bleary eyes immediately zeroed in on the fluffy white form at the foot of her bed. "Kyubey?" she wondered, sleep making her docile for a brief moment before she shrieked and threw a pillow at him. Madoka cast about for an escape, but from the sounds of a scuffle outside, she knew she was trapped. Kyubey merely dodged the ineffective missile and replied: _Kaname Madoka_. "No, please leave me alone!" Fear gripped her heart, but she suddenly switched gears. She dove towards the alien, purposefully rolling off her bed when he dodged again. _I am __**not**__ useless_.

_No, of course not, Madoka. You are quite useful, if only you would join me_. She ignored him, scrambling desperately to her door, wrenching it open (she would rather be outside than locked in a room with the Incubator). _You could become so powerful, no one would doubt you anymore, Madoka_. Out the door, slam the door, don't trip over Kyoko and human-Kyubey (_he's here, too?_), Madoka dashed pell-mell down several hallways, seeking to both shake off her stalker and somehow get to the ground level where Mami and Homura were sleeping. "MAMI-SAN!" Her first instinct was to call out for her once-senpai—perhaps not for protection, but definitely to warn her. However, Kyubey appeared before her once again, blocking her path. _You humans are very odd_. "Shut up!" she cried, aiming a violent kick towards the alien. He evaded it easily, smirking all the while. _You can end all this needless suffering, Madoka._ "You have ruined so many lives, how can you stand yourself!" Madoka snarled, all traces of her cheerful disposition gone. _I did not ruin their lives: they ruined their own lives. Let me show you_. His shiny, shiny eyes drew her in, hypnotizing her. _Fool! He will ensnare you! _She urged herself to look away, but his eyes, those twin pools of infinite despair—

Kyoko drew her gun, a crazed look in her eyes. "You killed Yuma," she whispered coldly; apathetic crimson eyes looking into grieved crimson eyes. "No, Sakura Kyoko. **You** killed Chitose Yuma," he wheezed (surprisingly enough, he was still alive). "Shut. The. Fuck. Up." Each word was bitterly punctuated by a punch to his stomach; Kyubey coughed up blood. _A single shot is all it'll take_. Just one shot. _He's not resisting_—_but Yuma, Momo—he has to pay!_ He merely smiled up at her, mocking her torment. Blood spattered slightly onto her face and soaked the floor underneath his head. She breathed heavily, hands limp and on her knees as she knelt in a pool of raw anguish. _Why? Why won't the past just stay buried?! _"Is that all, Kyoko?" Kyubey's taunting voice called out to her from the opposite direction Madoka had run (she had vaguely registered the pinkette running past her, but was too absorbed in making someone suffer to care). Roaring, Kyoko staggered up and chased another human Kyubey, completely disregarding her duty to protect her client. _Yuma, Momo, would you be disappointed if you saw me now?_—

_Pastries, syringes, a childish form…had she been here before? She hated being so lonely. Medical supplies, freakish little creatures scurrying everywhere—that's right, they're familiars; _Charlotte_, someone (something?) whispered. It looked vaguely adorable, but she kept shooting—were those her old Puella Magi muskets? She had missed the absolute control she had had over her muskets. Why was she shooting it? Oh, right: a witch. Then, she was in her bedroom again, in that old apartment where Kyoko had stayed with her so many nights before abandoning their friendship. Yes, that's right: in the back of the middle drawer, hidden underneath a pair of gloves, was a box of syringes and little vials full of a clear liquid. A shiny drop ran down the needle, a quiet lullaby in the distance, were those runes on her door? There was no witch in her house, though. No matter; she had her dear syringe again, promising sweet release if she would only—_

"MAMI-SAN!" Mami bolted upright in her bed, breathing hard. Across from her, Homura rolled out of her bed, gun clearly directed towards the door. "Kaname-san," Mami realized, but Homura had already bolted out the door, bent on saving her dearest companion. "Akemi-san! Wait!" she called out. _She cannot save Madoka alone in her state of mind_. Mami rapidly followed with her own standard handgun, pulling her sleep-mussed hair into a single ponytail as she went. Being a bodyguard meant being prepared at all times; it also meant focusing exclusively on the mission. She shoved all thoughts of her old habits out of her mind.

Unfortunately, Madoka's large house provided Kyubey with ample opportunity to waylay the unfocused bodyguards—it is rather difficult to neutralize the enemy when you are losing control of your sanity, the house is like a maze (as most Japanese homes are), _and_ the enemy happens to have the power of duplication. Homura was only just ahead of Mami, but suddenly a human Kyubey was directly in front of her, forcing Mami to skid to a halt. Homura went on, heedless of whatever happened behind her. "Will you shoot me, Tomoe Mami?" Kyubey smirked at her, his hands clasped cheerfully behind his back. "What have you done with Madoka-san?" Mami demanded, unaware that Kyubeys literally ran rampant throughout the mansion. "If I were you, Mami, I would worry more about your dear Kyoko, since you plainly don't care about dear Homura." Vindictive anger dripped from his words—Kyubey was done trying to convince blind humans to accept their fate. _You ruined me once before and made me suffer at the hands of my superiors: you shall pay dearly_. One-two-three shots made short work of this Kyubey. Mami ignored the guilt at pushing aside Homura, but she needed reassurance that Kyoko was alive (at the very least); she located the stairs and dashed up to Madoka's bedroom; a gruesome sight met her gaze.

Blood soaked the floors, with Kyubey's various bodies strewn about carelessly. She stepped gingerly around the brutally mangled bodies of non-human Kyubeys. Kyoko stood at one end of the hall, her hands as crimson as her disheveled hair, sobbing brokenly. "Kyoko-san," Mami whispered, her heart reaching out to the long-suffering red-head. "I knew I was l-lost, Mami, but _this_…" Kyoko replied hoarsely, gesturing about helplessly. "I look like fucking Kirika," she mumbled. _How amusing, Sakura Kyoko. You presume to do justice to the young ones who died, yet you sully their name by partaking in this gory slaughter_. This time, Kyoko simply closed her eyes. Mami glared at yet another Kyubey, whose tail swished around nonchalantly.

"Have you had your fill yet, Incubator?" Seeing Kyoko so broken and defeated electrified the blonde gunner. _Why is it that when something goes wrong, humans project the blame onto others and refuse to take responsibility? _He answered her question with his own. When she merely continued to glare at him, Kyubey taunted them: _no mercy for the lost, no soothing for the sad—Tell me, Kyoko, where is your cherished god! _Once again, a torrent of bullets from Mami's gun silenced him. "Do not insult Kyoko-san's beliefs," Mami growled. _So you will defend Kyoko here, but not Akemi Homura, who has suffered more than you can possibly imagine? _Yet another Kyubey replied. Shame flooding Mami, she—

"Madoka!" Homura cried, running towards the master bedroom, hoping that no harm had come to her yet. She stumbled—_it was raining—going back and forth, back and forth—Madoka was on her knees, sobbing—they refused to believe her—Mami's ribbons disappeared, meaning only one thing—legions of artillery machines rose at her command—a familiar ran past her—she was all alone—alone—her words no longer reached Madoka—chains clinked against each other—Kyubey—_Gasping, Homura put a shaky hand on to the wall, tears blurring her vision. Her limbs began to shake uncontrollably. _Damn it. I won't be of any use to Madoka if this keeps happening to me!_

Still, she staggered on, trudging up the stairs and dazedly stumbling from one corridor to the next; her head was swimming, everything was blurred. She was lost, so lost. The sounds of someone—_Madoka_—crying guided her to the pinkette sobbing on her knees, gaze locked with Kyubey in yet another corridor. Homura did not realize she had gone in circles (the architect must have had a thing for mazes), but that did not matter: she pointed her gun to the Incubator, distractedly wishing she had her old grenades with her. The alien paid her no mind, not yet. His voice, however, sounded clearly in her head. _Do you see, Madoka? See how much they suffer! Embrace the power within you and save them, Madoka. Save your friends, become their savior! _Madoka was drowning, drowning in the accumulated despair of not only herself, but also of Homura, Mami, and Kyoko: _Kyoko kept crying out for Yuma, Mami could not bear to see Kyoko so broken, Homura was horrified at the torture she was undergoing; bloody corpses surrounded everyone, blood stained their souls, and oh kami, __**Homura**__!_ Not slowing down, Homura aimed as best as she could and killed Kyubey. Blood spatters stained the area as bullet holes appeared in the Incubator's ears, tail, and body. Madoka fainted as the rush of sensations and memories abruptly ceased. "Madoka!" Homura scooped her limp body into her arms, cradling her lovingly. Fever, however, flushed Homura's cheeks as adrenaline coursed through her veins and aggravated her shot nerves. _It is no use, Akemi Homura. No matter how strong your love for her is, our will shall conquer all_. A human Kyubey sauntered down the stairs, his white suit marred slightly by various red splotches. "You are everywhere," Homura breathed, feeling another presence behind her. _Yes, Homura. We are everywhere; the more you oppose us, the more you shall suffer_. "No, no, no!" she cried, desperately clutching Madoka's unconscious body to her closer. "Think about it, Homura. The more you go went in time, the worse her fate became—in fact, you are **still** killing her," Kyubey coldly stated, his eyes no longer apathetic. A fire burned in his red eyes, challenging Homura's dazed purple eyes—

_So far, Madoka had not made a contract—Miki Sayaka was dead—Walpurgis Nacht was coming—time—Tomoe Mami was dead—she had not felt the drug coursing through her veins in over seven timelines, it was taking its toll on her nerves—Madoka was smiling—cutting was out of the question—Walpurgis Nacht—darkness roiling—experimenting with her own soul gem and grief seeds, if only she had more time—a ray of hope—the Incubator was speaking—no—no—but she had suspected it for some time now—but Madoka—despair mounted—I'm not her best friend anymore—my words don't reach her anymore—she looked so _disturbed_—alone, fighting alone—legions of guns rose out of the sea—a carnival, eh?—time—dead—her parents used to take her to German carnivals, before she got sick—Walpurgis Nacht—Kriemhild Gretchen—oh, how painful that was—_

"Yes, Homura. Crumble under the weight of your memories," Kyubey murmured, tugging Madoka from Homura's limp grasp. Homura's clammy hands pressed into her eyes, willing the images away. "Look at yourself, Homura. Look at yourself and be ashamed." A final gibe. "How can you expect to save your precious Madoka when you do not have your time magic anymore—you don't even have control over your own mind!" Laughing hollowly, Kyubey stepped around his fallen bodies and slowly made his way out of the grief-stricken mansion with Madoka in his arms. _Fools_.

* * *

"You let Madoka get kidnapped?!" Sayaka bellowed, slamming her hands down on the kitchen table (it was the only place that that was both free of evidence of last night and did not have painful reminders of the loving pinkette who had been taken from them).

Mami, face hidden behind her hands, nodded reluctantly. Homura slouched in an arm chair Sayaka had helped Mami drag in, a dazed look on her face and blankness in her eyes. Everyone, however, had the same disheveled appearance, though Kyoko had changed out of her bloodied uniform and had scrubbed her hands raw. Sayaka paced around, running her hands through her hair and muttering under her breath. "Let me get this straight: you are telling me that not one, not two, but **THREE** FULLY-TRAINED BODYGUARDS FAILED TO PROTECT MY BEST FRIEND?"

"Lay off, Miki," Kyoko growled. They were all surprised, however, by Homura's outburst.

"Listen to me, you many times-damned _fool_. Madoka was also **my** best friend, my savior, the light of my life." Her voice was soft and she remained slouched, but her hands, gripping the arms of the arm chair until her knuckles turned white, gave away the tension Homura felt. "I love Madoka—I swore to protect her, many years ago when we were still in middle school. She saved my life in so many ways, you do not understand. For you, she was someone to be protected; for me, she was the protector—" her monotone dwindled even further to a pained whisper—"At least, she was my protector until I ultimately killed her. It was an accident—Madoka was too kind, she could not leave me behind while Walpurgis Nacht wreaked havoc on the city. Mami-san died, and Madoka was the only one left who would dare face off against such a witch. Miki-san, I watched Madoka die many, many times, and I watched her suffer a fate worse than death an equal number of times." Now, she stood up, somehow dominating the kitchen with her broken presence. "I gave **everything** just so that Madoka would have a happy ending, my entire life was dedicated to her, I did the things I did for _her_, so do not PRE-SUME TO LEC-TURE ME!" Breathing heavily, Homura clenched her fists as tears began to course down her face. "Madoka," she whimpered, sinking back into the arm chair, completely forgetting the others' presence.

Sayaka was confused by Homura's passionate defense—_Madoka and Mami never died—_but Homura did not appear willing to offer an explanation. She turned to Mami, who understood her silent question.

Mami stared at her hands, guilt gnawing at her. Incidentally, had they been magical girls, their soul gems probably would have turned into grief seeds by now. "Look, Sayaka-san: I do not excuse our failure, not at all, but you must understand… Kyubey used our weaknesses against us." She glanced to Kyoko, whose face was turned away, though her scowl was apparent. "He is not the same Kyubey of old: I noticed, and I'm sure the others did, too, that not only looked human but also **acted** like one. He has emotions to drive him now, which I think motivate him much more and give him a greater understanding of us. Coupled with the fact that he has clones and multiple human bodies, Kyubey has become a more vicious opponent. Akemi-san—" she glanced towards Homura, but the ex-time-traveler did not react to her name—"is the most susceptible to his manipulation. Miki-san, she relived the same month over and over again in middle school in order to find a timeline where Madoka-san would live beyond Walpurgis Nacht." By now, Mami completely believed in Homura's story. Sayaka, however, looked rather doubtful. "She thought she had succeeded when we defeated Walpurgis Nacht and Security Firm discovered how to return our souls to our bodies, but Kyubey has risen again. It looks like he is motivated by revenge; I suspect his superiors were not pleased with his failure thirteen years ago," she continued, her eyes imploring Sayaka to understand.

"That bastard," Sayaka murmured. "I—though it seems rather out there and fishy, I can't help but believe you, Akemi-san." Homura did not acknowledge her: she was lost the memories of past timelines tangled up all together, though a lucid part of her marveled at how much the blunette had matured given the chance to live beyond her teenage years. _Everyone's both different and the same as they were thirteen years ago_, she thought before images of Madoka's various deaths assaulted her once again.

_If only we were not all so damningly weak_. "So what d'we do now?" Kyoko asked gruffly. _Don't think about Yuma_. No one, by the way, was in any state to rescue Madoka—and they knew it.

"I want to go after Madoka, but the Incubators are more secretive than ever. Rescuing Madoka won't be easy," Sayaka replied, pacing the kitchen once again. She frowned. "Still… if Kyubey is starting to act human, whatever that means, then maybe we could trick him… we could use his need for revenge against him…" _But we'd need to keep our cool this time_, she silently added.

"Yo, Miki, aren't you s'posed to be on an assignment right now?" Kyoko suddenly inquired. The blunette glanced at her, surprised, before replying, "Yes, but I left immediately when Mami-san called me at freaking two in the morning; she scared me half to death. I asked Higurashi-san to cover for me—actually, I should call in and explain the situation right now."

"Sayaka-san, could you request information on Kyubey when you call in?" Mami requested, looking better after a cup of tea—raspberry, unfortunately—a plan beginning to form in her mind. Sayaka nodded and immediately proceeded to call the Division B manager. Meanwhile, the blonde realized that the sun would rise in a few minutes (it was around five in the morning), so she used the lull in the conversation to call Madoka's servants and inform them that their employer had given them a paid week off.

A few minutes later, Sayaka hung up and pulled her laptop out of her briefcase. "Matsumoto-san sent me the file on Incubators, and I declined his offer for assistance—he insisted, however, that we leave the Incubators to him and limit ourselves to simply rescuing Madoka." She briefly hesitated, then continued. "Akemi-san, I don't think you're well enough to help…"

Homura did not look at her, staring instead into empty space. "I need to rescue Kaname-san," was her simple answer. _She must not die_. Sayaka glanced helplessly to Mami, who glanced to Kyoko, since the red-head knew Homura the best.

"Gah… just give her some meds so she can stay calm; we don't have time tah give her proper treatment." Mami suddenly looked uneasy, which worried Sayaka and Kyoko. Before they could inquire, however, Homura spoke up.

"That is excellent advice, Sakura-san. Tomoe-san, I'm sure you can obtain chlorpromazine on such a short notice," she spoke in her usual monotone, not sounding as dazed and lost as she looked. Mami flinched, drawing more curious glances from Kyoko and Sayaka, but she nodded quickly and stood up.

"I will get it immediately, Akemi-san," she replied. _Could it be that she knows of my old addiction? _It was entirely possible, given how many times Homura had repeated the same month. _If so, what else does she know about me? _The blonde placed her cup in the sink on her way out, adding, "I will be back in an hour or so; Sakura-san, Miki-san, don't do anything stupid." Then, she was gone from the oppressive house.

Sayaka didn't like being left with an abrasive and cranky (understatement of the year) red-head and a more-than-slightly-insane ex-time-traveler, but there was nothing she could do about it. _I might as well check out the file Matsumoto-san sent me_. She turned on her laptop and quickly pulled up the document; the blunette spent the next half hour entirely engrossed in reading the secrets behind the Puella Magi. _"Concerning the origin of Incubators, very little has been confirmed; the prevalent theory, gathered from the little information the Incubators gave magical girls, is that they hail from a distant galaxy and arrived on Earth in prehistoric times. How they came here is extremely uncertain, though some believe that UFO sightings ..."_—

Kyoko didn't feel like making small talk with Sayaka—in fact, she really wanted to just curl up in bed and sob her heart out. _Except, Homura's the one who is suffering the most, isn't she? _Realizing how damaging the loss of Madoka must be on her friend, Kyoko turned to observe Homura intently. _She looks so dead. I want to comfort her, but I dunno how_. The kidnapping of Madoka did not greatly affect the red-head, who had barely known her, but the pinkette was the world to Homura. Many minutes passed as she contemplated the emptiness in her friend's countenance. _She trusted me to take care of Mado-san for her, just as she trusted me to return her soul to her, but I let her down this time. I'm sorry, Homura; how many times did you have to watch your best friend die?_ Kyoko shuddered at the thought of watching her loved ones die repeatedly—having them die every night in her mind was more than enough torture; physically witnessing their demise constantly, every single time a little different and a little worse, was understandably maddening. Eventually, however, hunger made itself known and she quietly got up to prepare breakfast for them all. _Food—you never wasted a morsel of food after you realized how much it meant to me_. Alone in the chef's separate kitchen (Junko had installed the chef's kitchen after the death of her husband, so the little kitchen went unused except when Madoka felt like preparing her own meals), Kyoko returned to her own problems and silently cried as she washed her hands for the seventh time. _I refuse to be like that bitch Kirika_.

Homura, meanwhile, had no more debilitating flashbacks; her thoughts focused solely on the grief-stricken expression on Madoka's face before the pinkette fainted. _She did not faint because she was weak: she fainted because no one can possibly stand the despair of three tortured souls_, she mentally defended her best friend. Souls. That reminded her that the Division B manager had sent Sayaka a file on Incubators. _I wonder—my own research was cut short by my increasing desperation_ (she hated to admit it, but it was true)_, but they have had over a decade to study Puella Magi. Then again, Father Glendale managed to discover a process to return our souls in the first year; therefore, all that would be left would be the search for proof_. Curiosity gave her a purpose and momentary stability.

"Miki-san." Sayaka looked up, startled. _When did Kyoko leave? _ "May I have a look at the file?" Homura continued, though her fingers began to twitch slightly. _Hurry, Mami—I need the medication as soon as possible_.

"Err, sure…" she handed Homura her laptop, deciding that she should look for breakfast while Homura read the file. _Best to keep her occupied, I guess_. Homura immediately began reading (_"Balance is the key to understanding Puella Magi, witches, Incubators, and the universe…"_), her purple eyes not so dead when the light of the computer screen was reflected in them. Sayaka glanced around the kitchen, acutely feeling the absence of her pink-haired best friend. _Madoka… today would have been my turn to invite you guys over for breakfast_. Then, _I wish I hadn't been away when you needed me the most, Madoka-chan_.

By the time Mami returned with a small box in hand, Sayaka and Kyoko were in an argument over breakfast: "Well how was I supposed to know you made breakfast, too?!" "**Well** if ya had bothered lookin' for me, ya would've found me in the chef's kitchen!" "Ex-_cuse_ me for respecting your privacy, then!" Homura, on the other hand, seemed completely enthralled with whatever it was she was looking at on Sayaka's blue laptop (_"There is, however, one aspect in which there is an imbalance: the life of the universe, its energy…"_).

"Akemi-san—" Mami momentarily ignored the squabbling women—"I have the … material you requested." Homura looked up, nodded briefly, and returned to reading the details behind the soul-returning process; she wanted to finish reading before succumbing to the blanketing effects of the drug. The blonde uncertainly set the black box next to the ex-time-traveler, barely resisting the temptation to take the needle and use it on herself. _No, I have no need for it—not yet, at least_.

"What took ya so long?" Kyoko demanded around a piece of French toast she had snatched from Sayaka's tray. Mami opened her mouth to reply—"Never mind, I just realized ya have your hair in curls again," Kyoko smirked.

"Hey, don't be mean to Mami-san!" Sayaka protested.

"Will you two _please_ be quiet?" Homura growled, exasperated. Mami smiled sadly. "You know, if Madoka-san was not missing… this could have been a typical Saturday morning," she murmured to no one in particular. Sayaka and Kyoko froze, and Homura clenched her fists to stop the trembling that had started up again. Suddenly, Mami began crying quietly, burying her face in her hands. In her heart, Sayaka wanted to join her, but she clenched her jaw and pushed Kyoko forward. At the red-head's bewildered expression, Sayaka mouthed 'comfort her.'

Kyoko shuffled awkwardly to the ex-gunner, her hands reaching out to take Mami's hands in her own. "Hey," she gently said. Mami pulled her into a tight embrace, startling Kyoko and making her blush, but she clumsily returned the hug. Sayaka turned away respectfully and Homura turned her dead gaze once again to the laptop. Mami's muffled sobs gradually died out and she released Kyoko sheepishly. Wordlessly, Kyoko offered her the carrot cake she had made for breakfast (dessert before a meal proper after all). "It's not as good as the ones you make, but—" she broke off, feeling foolish, but Mami smiled and grabbed a cake cutter from one of the drawers.

"Thank you, Kyoko-san." The normally boisterous red-head blushed again. _I wish I hadn't rejected Madoka's invitations… she never stopped begging me to come back to Mami_.

Homura, meanwhile, opened the small black box and pulled out the sanitized syringe with cold apathy. _This time, I __**have**__ to take it_, she distantly thought. She deftly tied a tourniquet just above her elbow with one hand, filled the syringe with the contents of the accompanying vial (resisting the urge to give herself an overdose), then swiftly plunged the needle into the bulging vein on her left arm, injecting the tranquilizer into her blood stream without a second thought. Sayaka watched, morbidly fascinated as Homura easily removed the tourniquet and pressed a clean tissue to the puncture. _It looks like this isn't the first time she's had to give herself injections_. "When I was first released from the hospital," Homura blandly explained, disposing of the used needle in a plastic bag, "I had to continue taking several medications for my heart condition—" though that had been over a hundred timelines ago. Sayaka flushed, embarrassed at her apparent transparency.

Mami and Kyoko turned around at the sound of Homura's voice just in time to see her putting away the materials. A dot of blood was visible on the tissue. Mami turned away abruptly and Kyoko flinched at the reminder.

_Madoka, we need you back before we all fall apart, before we all go out of our minds_. Without meaning to, without knowing, Madoka had become their savior. Everything pointed to Madoka.

* * *

A/N: Huzzah! Finally finished with chapter seven, ^_^. Many thanks to my beta, yukinagato16! I wrote the first half while listening to "Blood Teller," "Kuusou Mesorogiwi," "Mindfuck: Magia Remix," and the normal version of "Magia." The second half, eh, there's no soundtrack I particularly recommend, haha. Expect chapter eight sometime at the end of October.

Please review! I would really like to know what you guys think of the story. ~_Teddy_.


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